Romeo and Julie
by BanksPortmanMendozaWu
Summary: Romeo and Juliet. They are studying it in English, but are Julie and Dean even acting?
1. A play

Romeo and Julie.   
  
Author - BanksPortmanMendozaWu (Tara, that is the name that my mum gave me!)  
  
Summary - They are studying it in English, but are Julie and Portman even acting.  
  
Pairing - Julie Gaffney/Dean Portman.   
  
Feedback - Please, I would love it if you did.   
  
Notes - This is my first step into the world of MD romance fiction. I am so hoping that it is not completely lame. I am testing the waters of a new ship, that being Dean and Julie. (Usually I am kind of a Cake-Eater/Julie type of person. Although, I don't have a preferred ship really.) And oh yeah, I may have gone a bit overboard with calling Dean "Portman" but there is a reason for that. Anyway…  
  
Oh yeah, and the character of Meredith, well, she is the type of teacher that I never had, but have always wanted. She is the type of teacher that I intend to be.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Dean Portman opened the door to his English class and paused. Seconds later, he felt his best friend Fulton crash into his back, and then a few others crashing into him.   
  
"Dude, why did you stop!" Fulton asked, but then, he realised for himself.   
  
"What is going on?" Connie asked, stepping around the two hockey enforcers and further into the classroom. The desks had all been moved into a circle with a bare space in the middle. The others slowly stepped into the room, looking around.   
  
Sure, this was not the first time that they had entered their English classroom to see that it had been rearranged. Their teacher, Meredith, (Or Miss Degas, when some one else was around) was a woman who had only been out of Collage three years and liked to teach in a way that no other teacher at Eden hall really found acceptable, often did crazy things with them. But she had been told the year before to tone it down, and since then, her lessons had been well, boring, to say the least.   
  
"Oh good, you are all here, take a seat." Meredith smiled, entering the classroom and sitting on the desk at the front of the class. The class sat down, and Julie raised her hand.   
  
"Meredith, what's going on?" Julie asked when she was called upon. "I mean, I thought you said that we were starting a new section of work today?"  
  
"We are" Meredith smiled, standing and handing out the booklets that were pilled at the end of her desk.   
  
"Romeo and Juliet?" Averman asked. "We are learning Romeo and Juliet?"  
  
"Yes, out next section of work is Romeo and Juliet" Meredith told them, handing the last of the booklets to the remaining students. "Your assessment…" there was a collective groan when she said the word assessment.   
  
"It is not something written is it?" Portman asked. Meredith smiled.   
  
"Come now Portman, you really think that I would choose to mark your work when I could be doing other things?" She asked. Portman smirked. "I spoke with the Dean, and he has agreed to let me set my own mode of assessment, and mark this unit of work as I see fit."  
  
There was a cheer. Meredith, being the coolest teacher in the school, was always not as hard on the students as the other teachers.   
  
"Therefore, In three months time, in front of your peers and family, you will present Romeo and Juliet!"  
  
Meredith seemed proud of herself. Many jaws dropped and there were a few groans. "You cant be serious!" Fulton exclaimed.   
  
"Mr Reed, I am dead serious." Meredith smiled. "A passing grade will be based on your participation not only in class, but also on the night"  
  
"So, you expect us to perform Romeo and Juliet…in front of people" Russ asked. Meredith grinned.   
  
"In front of your peers and family" She repeated. Once again, most of the class groaned. "Come on guys, 90% of this class are Ducks. You play hockey in front of mammoth crowds. You played the finals of the Good Will Games to a sold out crowd…"  
  
"But that is different!" Charlie replied. "Hockey is hockey, this is…acting"  
  
"You don't want to?" Meredith asked softly, sitting back on her desk.   
  
"It is not so much we don't want to" Goldberg began. "It is more like, we seriously don't want to!"  
  
"Ok" She sighed. "Then I will make participation optional."  
  
Julie leant over to Connie and Guy. "Didn't Miss McKay say that to us once?"  
  
"But…" Meredith began.   
  
"Yeah, we get it…" Adam interrupted.   
  
"If we don't attend, we will not be eligible to play" the ducks coursed, quoting what their Team USA tutor had told them. Meredith grinned.   
  
"And I would hate to have to give you all a failing mark." Meredith shrugged. "that would lead to the loss of scholarships…"  
  
"We understand, we understand, lets just get this over with" Russ announced.   
  
"Fantastic, I knew that you would see things my way" Meredith grinned. "Now, in order to make this all run smoothly, I have already assigned you all characters…Some of you that have smaller roles will be needed to do other backstage things. Right, when I call your name and character, come stand up the front here…"  
  
She picked up her list. "Ken Wu. You are Prince Escalus. Ruler of Verona." there was a cheer as Ken stood and made his way to the front of the room. Meredith laughed, it was going to be fun teaching Shakespeare to this excitable group.   
  
"Banks, Adam" Meredith read from her piece of paper, and Adam stood, moving to the front of the room. "Paris. Handsome and Nobel suitor to lady Juliet."  
  
"Handsome, I can deal with that" Adam smiled as he took a spot beside Ken.   
  
"Yeah, well, he is also a bit of a Preppy, so I thought that the role suited you" Meredith grinned. Adam blushed, and the bash brothers cracked up.   
  
"That's cake eater, all right" Portman smiled. Adam glared at him, even though he saw the humour in the situation. It had just become second nature to glare at Portman when he said something like that.   
  
"Mr. Mendoza" Meredith began, and the others all quieted down. "Tybalt. Cousin to Juliet. Bit of a hot head. Doesn't know when to stop sometimes…"  
  
That made the whole class laugh. Luis smiled at her. Meredith shook her head and moved on.   
  
"Mr. Averman, you are Friar Lawrence." Averman stood and made his way to where his team mates were standing. "This role involves a certain amount of maturity. I know that is a stretch, but are you up to the challenge?"  
  
Averman saluted her. "Ma'am yes Ma'am"  
  
"Ok, moving on. Benvolio, cousin of Romeo and best friend. Charlie, this is you" Charlie nodded and made his way to the growing group at the front.   
  
"Mr. Germaine and Mr. Robertson" both boys stood. "You are Mr. Capulet and Mr. Montague respectively. Guy, you are Juliet's father, Dwayne, Romeo's father"  
  
Meredith made her way over to where Portman and Fulton were sitting, and rested her hand on Fulton's shoulder. "Join the others Reed. You are in the role of Mercutio. Best friend of Romeo, his second in command, you could say."  
  
Portman watched as Fulton stood and did as he was told, joining the gang at the front of the room. Portman looked back down at the character list in the front of the booklet. He had been watching it closely since casting began. He had his eye on a role, it seemed rather small. Page. He could do that. But his eyes scanned the list again. There was only one major role left.   
  
Then it clicked. He looked up at Meredith, who was staring at him. "Oh no, no, no, no, no, no…."  
  
"Portman"  
  
"No. I know what you are thinking and no" he stood. "No"  
  
"Come on Dean" Meredith sighed. She knew how much the young man hated being called by his first name, and for the longest time she had been with the majority and calling him Portman, but it was time to pull out all the tricks that she had. "You would make a fantastic Romeo."  
  
"I disagree" he told her. "I would make a pathetic Romeo, the worst. I don't want to do it!"  
  
"You don't want to do it? Ok Dean, I wont make you" she sighed, moving to her desk and pulling a binder out of the draw, opening it. Dean watched her as she flipped through the pages, read something quickly, then picked up her marking pen. Every one in the room winced as she wrote the letter F on it.   
  
"Wait, you cant fail me!" Portman exclaimed. "I need to pass English to stay in school and play hockey."  
  
"Yeah Meredith, have a heart!" Fulton said. Meredith looked up at them. The whole Duck's team was pleading with her in different stages of shock and fear. She sighed.   
  
"I will change his grade, but he knows what he has to do" Meredith told them. The team now turned their pleading eyes to Portman.   
  
"Just do it Portman, it is not as bad as you are making it all out to be!" Connie told him. Portman sighed.   
  
"Fine, I will be Romeo!" he exclaimed and made his way to the group. "Now change my grade please"  
  
Meredith grinned and held up the binder so that every one could see it. The only thing written on the blank paper was the letter F.  
  
"You tricked me!" Portman smiled. He couldn't be angry, because he had to admit, that what she had done was pretty cool.   
  
Meredith shrugged. "All the other boys in the class are going to fill the roles of the various pages and servants." she came out from behind her desk with a box, which she opened and began distributing the contents to the actors. "I had the metal shop boys put together some basic props for us. These are not dangerous, well, at least they are not if you are sensible with them"  
  
Each of the boys looked at the metal swords that they had been handed. Fulton and Portman grinned. "On Guard!" they both exclaimed together.   
  
Meredith caught their hands before they could begin swinging them at each other. "Don't make me take them away from you"  
  
Meredith then turned to the girls. "Fortunately, the fact that there are a small amount of girls in this play evens out to the fact that there are a small amount of girls in this class. Emily and Melissa, the two of you will be Lady Capulet and lady Montague, mothers of Romeo and Juliet."  
  
The girls stood and Meredith turned to Connie and Julie. "Connie, I want you to play the nurse, Juliet's closest friend, confidant and protector." Connie nodded and stood, and then Meredith turned to Julie. "Want to play Juliet?"  
  
"As the only girl left in the class, I don't think I have much of a choice, do I?" Julie grinned. "I will do it"  
  
"Good, fantastic.   
  
"Every one, these are you characters. Juliet, why don't you go up there and join Romeo" Meredith told Julie, who stood and made her way to the gang, standing beside Portman.   
  
"Portman, as Romeo, you are going to have to pretend to be in love with Juliet" Meredith informed the young enforcer.   
  
"Wont be to hard, right Portman" Fulton said from somewhere behind him. Charlie and Adam chuckled, but luckily for Portman, they were the only ones who had heard what he had said. Portman just accidentally slipped his elbow into his friends ribs. Fulton laughed.   
  
"And Julie, do you think that you will be able to manage that?" Meredith asked. Julie laughed.   
  
"I'll manage"  
  
The bell rang, signalling the end of the period. Each of the students began to file out of the room. "For homework, read the character analysis at the beginning of the booklet. Familiarise yourself with the character that I have assigned you. And if you feel up to it, I recommend that you begin to read the play"  
  
They all nodded, saying goodbye to their teacher. "Wait!" She yelled, they all turned. "Swords back in the box boys!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Portman found himself at the back of the group for sprints that afternoon at practice.   
  
"Hey, Romeo, lets pick up the pace"  
  
He skidded to a stop and glared at Orion, who was chucking at his little joke.   
  
"God, does everybody know about this damn play!?" He exclaimed. A few others laughed.   
  
"Why Romeo, Art thou mad?" Charlie asked. Portman took his attention away from their coach and settled it on their captain. Charlie had the good sense to start skating before Portman began to chase him.   
  
"Poor fool, you know not what you do" Averman yelled after Charlie. The others laughed, and took off into their sprints again.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Ok, tell me what you think. Review. Thanks. 


	2. A study

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer - (which I forgot last chapter) The Ducks belong to Disney. The only character I own, so far, are Meredith, and a few other not so prominent characters.   
  
Feedback - Knock yourself out. Well, no, not literally, that would be bad. Thank you to the three who reviewed my last chapter (Pure-Pen, CakeEater'sGirly99 and JavaJunkieGurl)  
  
Notes - I am loving writing this fic, so I hope that you enjoy reading it. I have millions of ideas for it, I just don't know which ones will make it. A few people asked in their reviews if I could really see Dean as Romeo, and I am going to answer that with a big YES, it would be funny, true, but drama is something that is meant to be fun and rewarding…(and you can so tell I am going to be a drama teacher!)  
  
Warning - Slight Portman cussing, but other then that, it is safe.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Do you know how many lines I have in this bloody production!" Dean asked as he collapsed into his seat at breakfast the next day.   
  
"Portman, what was your first clue that your role would be big" Russ asked. "The play is called Romeo and Juliet, you are Romeo…"  
  
"But I was reading the play last night…" Portman began.   
  
"You can read?" Averman asked. Portman looked at him and glared. Averman turned back to his food.   
  
"Romeo has these big sections where it is just him talking." Portman sighed, pulling the playbook out of his bag. "And he is not even saying anything of substance, he is just talking…I can hardly understand any of it"  
  
"All the characters have them. It is called a soliloquy." Adam explained.   
  
"A solili-what?" Fulton asked.   
  
"Soliloquy. Or monologue, where a character talks to himself, revealing his thoughts without making it sound like he is talking to an audience." Julie told them. Portman nodded, understanding.   
  
"Well, it still sucks that I have to learn this whole damn play" he grumbled.   
  
"I do to, Juliet has large sections as well" Julie reminded him. Portman was just about to point out to her that Juliet seemed to have a lot less to say then Romeo when the warning bell rang and they had to head off to Maths.   
  
Whoever the genius was that put Maths in the morning, followed by science, followed by geography, then history needed to be shot, and quick. Even the first break between science and geography was not enough to help them through the day. By the time that Portman had collapsed into his seat in English, he was so caught up in the crap that had been piled on him from the rest of the day, that he had forgotten that he was Romeo.   
  
Meredith entering the room was enough to remind him however. "How was your reading guys?"  
  
There were a few "fun" and "yeah, greats" from around the room. Most were sarcastic.  
  
"I was thinking that we could have a quick discussion before we jump into reading the play. Does anything have anything to say about the play, or their character. Any questions, comments, queries?" Meredith asked. No one moved. "None, ok. Then I will take it that you all had complete understanding of the text." Again no one replied. "Well, lets get straight into reading then."  
  
For the rest of the lesson they read the play aloud, each of them taking on the personas of their character. Much as Meredith assumed, the boys had some issues with the wording. As comical as it was to see the big tough ice hockey players stumble over the words written in front of them, she had to remind herself, and the rest of the class, not to make fun of each other.   
  
They got through a substantial amount of the play just by reading it, but at more then one time Meredith wondered if it was the right thing to have them perform it. It seemed like it would never be ready for others to see.   
  
The bell rang dismissing them from class. "Wait, wait…"Meredith stopped them all. "I want to arrange another practice session some time after school hours…"  
  
"Cant, hockey practice" the ducks all replied, all smug that they had gotten out of a practice session.   
  
"I spoke to Orion. You have practice on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays." a few people groaned. Why did she have to have spoken to the coach. "The way I see it, you should consider yourself lucky that I am not asking you to practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays."  
  
"Today is Tuesday. There will be a practice today, and every Tuesday till we perform. It is up to you if you attend, and this time, I will not fail you if you don't turn up. But remember, it will be you who embarrasses yourselves if you are not ready to show this to the public in a few months time."  
  
That afternoon, the entire cast turned up to practice.   
  
*****  
  
"Stop, Stop, Stop" Meredith called, jumping off of the desk she as sitting on and moving to the middle of the improvised performance space that was still created by the circle of chairs. The three actors standing there all stopped.   
  
"Charlie, Portman, Fulton. How long have the three of you been friends?" Meredith asked. Charlie looked at the other two and shrugged.   
  
"I don't know. I have known Fulton since before we were even the ducks. And we have both known Portman since the games…" he explained.   
  
"And you would say that you are pretty close?" She asked them. "I mean, you two are the bash brothers, and Charlie, well, you all get along well? Being on the same team, you have to have a certain amount of trust in each other, right?"   
  
"Well Yeah" Fulton shrugged looking at the others.   
  
"As your characters, you need to find a way to portray what you have in real life. Portman, Fulton, there was a reason why I cast you two as these characters. Romeo and Mercutio trust each other with their lives, and if the two of you cant make it believable that these young men are close, like brothers, then I have no idea who could." Meredith explained. "So lets try that again, try to relax into it, and try to just say the lines as though you, Fulton and Charlie are having a conversation after a game or something."  
  
Portman folded the play book in his hands and began reading again. "Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling. Being not heavy, I will bear the light."  
  
Meredith once again stopped them. "Ok, better, but you are still not getting the beat of the talking. Just because it is written in lines, does not mean that it is said that way. Read those two lines that you just said as a complete sentence, only pausing when there is a comma or any other punctuation point.   
  
It was their second week of practices. Every day in class plus a Tuesday and they had managed to struggle through a preliminary reading of the script, and now they were standing and talking through it, getting a feel for the words. For what was not the first time in that week, Meredith wondered if it was such a good idea to do this.  
  
By the time the bell rang Meredith had the beginnings of a head ache. "Ok, tomorrow I want to go through one of the Romeo and Juliet scenes, more then likely the party scene, so this means that yes, you will see two of the ducks flirting with one another…"  
  
"More then usual" Banks mumbled, a few people around him heard what he said and couldn't hold back their chuckles.   
  
"Which means that we will be bringing a little extra maturity to class tomorrow, wont we?"  
  
"Yes Meredith" they all chorused as they left the room.   
  
*****  
  
Julie was surprised to see Dean sitting on his bed, reading Romeo and Juliet. She knocked on the doorframe and entered when he looked up at her.   
  
"Interesting reading?" she asked, sitting on Fulton's bed. No one really knew why Fulton had moved into the dorms, most of the Minnesota ducks still lived at home and not in the dorms with the others. But when Portman had come to the school, he had moved in with his bash brother. The common theory was that things had gotten so bad for him at home that he had moved to save himself.   
  
"Come to laugh at me have you?" He asked, throwing the book away and collapsing back onto his own bed.   
  
"Laugh at you Portman, why would I laugh at you?" Julie asked. Portman looked at her, shocked.   
  
"You saw me at practice." he told her. Julie thought back over the two practices that they had had today, both the play and Hockey, but nothing was jumping out at her as something that he could be ridiculed over.   
  
"Portman…"  
  
"I don't understand this shit." he sighed. "Jules, you know me right, I have issues expressing myself in normal English, and this is seventeenth century shit. I cant do this…"  
  
Julie was shocked. From the day she had meet Dean Portman, he had always had the attitude that there was nothing that he couldn't do. And if there was something he couldn't do, he would give it a try anyway. She had never heard him say that he didn't understand, even if it was obvious that he didn't.  
  
"Portman, its fine…" Julie began. "You know, there is no shame in asking for help"  
  
He sat up and looked at her, smiling the classic Portman grin that it seemed not many girls in the school could resist. "There is no shame in just offering to help so that your very proud friend can get by with his reputation in tact…"  
  
"Do you want to go over some of it. I could teach you a way to read it that helps me understand…" Julie offered. Portman grinned, picked up his book and sat on the floor, resting his back on his bed. Julie sat the same way on the floor resting on Fulton's bed. She had managed to locate his copy of the play from the pile on his desk.   
  
"Ok, lets go over what we will be doing in class tomorrow." Julie told him. "Go from your line at the top of the page. Get to the end of the first line…"  
  
Portman cleared his throat. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand"  
  
"Now what is being said here?" Julie asked. Portman shrugged.   
  
"He is talking about gas I guess." He told her. When Julie looked at him confused, he went to explain himself. "Profane is a gas right?"  
  
"That's propane Portman." she informed him, smiling. Portman groaned angrily and threw the book over her head onto Fulton's bed. "Hey, don't get discouraged. Come on, we can do this a different way. Read a section, tell me what you think it means, and then, tell me what you would say."  
  
"What I would say?" he asked her.   
  
"Yeah, if you were with a girl that you liked, you tell me what you would say to explain what Romeo is trying to get across. I will do the same for Juliet."   
  
"Ok" he sighed, opening the book. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this. My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."  
  
"Ok, and what is Romeo saying?"  
  
"First he says that his hands are unworthy." he paused to see if he was right. Julie nodded. "Then he says that his lips can smooth a rough touch…Is he talking himself up so that she will kiss him?"  
  
Julie smiled. "Yeah, but in a really romantic way. How would Portman say that?"  
  
"Words are meaningless, I can say it all in a glance." he told her. Julie laughed, she couldn't help it. It was amazing how many people in this school were afraid of Portman and his tough boy act. But she was one of the ones, like the other ducks, who knew that he was just a big kitten. "I guess I would say…'hey ladies, Want to make out with a bash brother'…"  
  
"You actually use that line?" Julie asked. Portman nodded. "How many of them reply with 'Sure, Where's Fulton?'"   
  
Portman glared. "One in five." Julie laughed. "Hey, but to be fair, one in five of the girls who he uses that line on ask about me…"  
  
"Fulton doesn't use that line" Julie replied, assured. "I may not know Fulton as well as others, but I know that he would never use a line like that." before Portman could argue with her, she drew his attention back to the play. "But honestly, if you were really in love with a girl, love at first sight, and you were not just occupied with allowing her the privilege of making out with a bash brother, what would you say."  
  
"Well." he thought for a few seconds. " 'I may not be the man that you are looking for, and I know that I have said some pretty stupid things in the past, my mouth always seems to get me into trouble, but, if you give me the opportunity, I can show that this mouth is good at other things to…baby'"  
  
Julie smiled. "I was just about to ask you where Portman went, until you slipped in the 'baby'"  
  
"But, was I right?" Dean asked.   
  
"Sounded alright to me" Julie told him. "Ok, next we move on to Juliet's lines. 'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hands to much, which mannerly devotion shows this, for saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, then palm to palm, a holy palmers kiss."  
  
"Is she trying to get out of kissing him by offering to hold his hand!" Portman asked, outraged. "I hate girls like that…"  
  
Julie stopped herself from saying anything at his sexist comment. "Well, you have to admit she has a point. She is in her fathers house, her dad has just set her up with a very good looking and rich young man…"  
  
"Cake eater"  
  
"Paris" she corrected, smiling. "Her mother is around somewhere, her dad is a powerful man, and she has no idea who Romeo is. Of course she is not going to go make out with him…"  
  
"Bad excuse if you ask me" Portman replied. "Ok, put that in Julie-speak."  
  
" 'I know you are not perfect. No one is, but I would not judge you, mainly because I do not know you. Start slowly, and we will see where it goes.'" she replied. Dean grinned and turned to his next piece of the play.   
  
"Have saints not lips, and holy palmers to?" he sighed "well, that is easy, he is trying to convince her that all those other people he mentioned all kiss as well."  
  
"Dean would say?"  
  
"Dean would say 'Give me a chance'"  
  
"'Aye, Pilgrim, lips they must use in prayer'" Julie replied. "She is just making up more excuses, more then likely referring to the fact that back then, premarital sex was frowned upon."  
  
"Frowned upon!" Portman gulped. "What did teenagers do in those days."  
  
Julie rolled her eyes. Portman had a bit of a reputation, but that was something that she really didn't want to talk about. "Well, Juliet is only 14 when she marries Romeo…"  
  
"Oh, so they found a way around it." Portman grinned.   
  
"No, early marriages were not that uncommon. Paris says something like 'younger woman a bride and mother make.' meaning that quite a few girls Juliet's age and younger were married. "  
  
"Oh" Portman nodded "Julie says"  
  
"Julie says 'I don't think that is such a good idea…what you are talking about is a sin…'"  
  
"'O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.'" he said. "Dean says 'Hey, it may be a sin, but, well, pray about it and kiss me anyway.'"  
  
Julie laughed. "'Saints do not move, though grant for prayers sake'" she smiled, leaning forward a little. "'don't use that religious crap on me. It wont work'"  
  
"Then move not, while my prayers effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged'" he smiled to himself, leaning forward a little also. " 'You started the religious crap babe, and now you are getting stroppy at me for using it against you?"   
  
They sat for a few seconds, their faces inches apart. The script called for them to kiss at this point, but neither of them made a move to do so. Portman's gaze travelled to Julies lips, he would be lying if he was to say that he had never thought about kissing the teams female goalie.   
  
Julie tensed a little. Playing Juliet to Portman's Romeo was one thing, but she had completely forgotten that she would have to kiss him. It was no big deal to her…what was she saying, of course it was a big deal for her. Just because he was Dean Portman obnoxious enforcer who laughed when ever he injured another hockey player, he was Dean Portman, an extremely good looking guy that she had felt connected to since meeting at the games.  
  
Suddenly Portman laughed "This is going to be so strange kissing you."  
  
Julie smiled and looked away. "Yeah, odd…'Then have my lips the sin that they have took?'"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The next line Portman, wake up. Romeo has been discussing the sin of his lips and by kissing her, she is asking if he has given her his sin, and tainted her." she explained.   
  
"Oh" he nodded, going back to the play. "Sin from my lips, O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." he read. Julie looked at him to see him staring at her again. "I want to kiss you again…"  
  
Julie couldn't blink. She refused to, because he was slowly getting closer and closer to her. His hand made its way to her cheek, brushing a piece of hair away and moving her closer to him. What was he doing? Was he going to kiss her?  
  
He moved closer to her, pulling her closer at the same time. Her eyes shut, she could fell his breath on her skin. It was amazing. He was going to kiss her.   
  
"Portman!" the door flew open and Fulton entered. Julie pushed Portman away from her and managed to scramble up onto Fulton's bed. Fulton turned and jumped slightly. "Jules, not that I don't love it when I have a beautiful girl on my bed, but what are you doing here?"  
  
"We were just going over Romeo and Juliet, but I think we have had enough for the night." Julie told him, gathering her things and getting ready to stand. Portman stood and whispered something to Fulton, who smiled.   
  
"I will see you guys tomorrow in class" Julie smiled.   
  
"Hey Julie" Fulton asked, moving up beside her and leaning against the door. "Want to make out with a Bash brother?"  
  
"Sure, where's Ken?" she asked him. "Night boys."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Another chapter done. Tell me what you think by reviewing. 


	3. A proposal

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer - As before, I do not own the ducks.   
  
Feedback - please, thank you to my reviewers from last chapter, I am glad that you are liking this piece.   
  
Notes - I don't think that I have many notes on this chapter. Just read it and go with the flow.   
  
As always, reviewing is fun.   
  
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"I hear you want to make out with me?"   
  
Julie looked up from her book that she was reading over breakfast to see Ken sitting at the other side of the table. The two of them looked at each other for a few quiet moments before they both burst out laughing. Obviously the joke had reached Ken via the other bash brothers. Ken stood quickly, came around the other side of the table and sat, wrapping an arm around Julie's shoulder.   
  
"Ken what?"  
  
"Shhh" he smiled, indicating to the door. The older bash brothers, along with Luis and Dwayne had just entered the room. Julie smiled and settled into Ken's side, resting her head on his shoulder. Ken smiled and began whispering fake sweet nothings in her ear.   
  
"You have got to be joking" Fulton sat. Portman just burst out laughing.   
  
"Yeah guys, it is just not believable…" Luis replied.   
  
"What, you don't think I could pull a chick like Jules?" Ken asked. Julie smiled and kissed his forehead.   
  
"Of course you could, but you wouldn't want a chick like me, believe me…"  
  
"Yeah, no one wants a chick like Julie" Portman smiled. She kicked him in the shin, making the larger boy wince. Ken laughed and went with the others to get something to eat, leaving Julie at the table by herself.   
  
"I was thinking…"  
  
Julie jumped at the sound of the voice behind her. She turned and looked at the owner of the voice that had shook her from her not very interesting thoughts. Portman sat beside her at the table, and dumped his breakfast tray in front of him. He spilt his juice, but that didn't seem to bother him.   
  
"Well, more hoping then thinking really…could you help me again tonight, with the Shakespeare?" he asked her. Julie looked at him, and then turned back to her breakfast. She had had a lot of fun the night before, studying with Portman, but did that mean that she wanted to do it again? And he had almost kissed her the night before. Did she want to tempt fate and have some one storm in again if it got that far.   
  
"I don't know. I mean, we have class and then the after school practice, do you really want to spend time tonight practicing to?" Julie asked. Portman shrugged.   
  
"Not if you don't want to" He replied. She smiled.   
  
"We will just see how we feel at the end of the day."  
  
But Portman understood her reasoning, even before he had entered the English classroom, he knew that he would not have enough time to work on the play with Julie that night. He had so much other work to do from his other classes, plus the work that he had only half finished the night before.   
  
"Romeo, Juliet, front and centre!" Meredith smiled as the group began entering the room. Everyone else sat in the desks around the performance space. Portman and Julie made their way to the centre of the room.   
  
"Now, read through it once to yourself, get a feel for the words, and then, we can put some action into it." Meredith told them. Julie and Portman read it quickly and then smiled at each other. They had gone through it the night before, and for the first time since being offered the role, he was comfortable in his own skin.   
  
They read their lines perfectly, and they began to instinctively move around each other, circling each other as though they were prey. They got to the first kiss and paused. Was Meredith expecting them to kiss today?  
  
"Just keep going, we can come back to the kiss."  
  
So they kept going, covering everything that they had covered last night. Much like the night before, the subtext of Romeo's last statement hung in the air between them. They had naturally moved closer together while they had been taking, and now, they stood dangerously close.   
  
"That was amazing!"  
  
Just has Fulton had unintentionally done the night before, the magic was ended between them. Dean looked from Julie to the rest of the class, half of which were struck dumb with shock, other who were cheering, and then, in true Dean Potman fashion, and took Julie's hand in his and bowed.   
  
"You practiced!" Meredith was shocked. "I asked you to practice and you practiced. Let this day go down in history as one that Dean Portman actually did as he was asked. It is amazing."  
  
Portman took a deep breath. This was easy, and even a little fun, he could do this. For the first time, he was honestly looking forward to playing Romeo in this god forsaken production.   
  
"Ok, lets move onto the kiss" Meredith began. Every single duck that was sitting in the desks lent forward a little. Even though they had been told to bring extra maturity to class today, they knew that this would be an amazing sight for all to behold. Dean Portman, a guy who considered himself a player, and Julie Gaffney, a girl who had only had one relationship since they had met her, were going to kiss. To others, it was no big thing, but the Ducks saw it all on a different level.   
  
Even if they didn't see it, there was an attraction between the goalie and the enforcer. It was a strange type of attraction, it had been strongest while in LA at the games, but since then, when both of them hit an age where they started taking notice of members of the opposite sex, and the plethora of opportunities that were available to them at Eden Hall, they had drifted apart from what they had all suspected was envitable.   
  
But Portman had since admitted to Fulton (who told Charlie, in confidence, who let it slip to Adam accidentally, who may have mentioned it to Luis, who tells every thing to Dwayne, and Dwayne told Russ and Goldberg, who then told the world) that he had always considered Julie to be on of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. And Julie had confided in Connie (who told Guy, Who told Averman, who in turn told Charlie and Adam, well, you get the point…) that she had always found Portman attractive, but she had never even considered him to be anything more then a friend.   
  
So now was the moment of truth, could their friends play lovers, could they kiss each other and not have it effect them.   
  
Little did the ducks know that it was already effecting them.   
  
Twice in her recent life, Julie had thought about kissing Portman, it was as easy as just closing the miniscule gap that they had given themselves, but both times, something had happened, something had come between them. Maybe it was for the best, maybe it was just a sign that said that they should not mess with the perfect friendship that they had. Or maybe, some one up there was purposely building the tension and frustration between them.   
  
Of course, she had thought about kissing him before, but that was back when her and Connie used to have silly little discussions over which of the ducks they thought would be the best kisser (Portman won, coming in a close second was Ken, and Adam, tied on the fact that it is always the quiet ones that were the surprising the hell out of you.)  
  
And Portman, well, it was common knowledge that Portman would kiss anything. But kissing Julie was something that he had thought about before. She held a certain amount on intrigue, a certain quality.. Now it looked like he would get his chance to act on his thoughts.   
  
"Hey, don't look so shocked" Meredith grinned at the two of them. Julie smiled a little, wondering what the look on her face must have been like if she had looked shocked at the prospect of kissing Portman. "I am not going to ask you to kiss each other till this afternoons practice."  
  
Portman nodded. They still had lunch and two lessons (elective subjects. Portman had Art and physical Education. Julie had Chemistry and physics), before they would have to kiss, so that gave them something to look forward to. Portman couldn't help but grin at Julie, who smiled back at him.   
  
As they all filed out of the room in single file, Porman caught her hand and pulled her down the hall with him. It was their second break of the day, so they had about forty-five minutes until they had to be in their next class. Behind them, Adam, Fulton and Charlie watched them walk off together.   
  
"Well done at practice today" Julie smiled, patting him on the arm. Dean laughed.   
  
"Oh, that, it was nothing. I understood it all. Thanks to you I didn't feel like such an idiot up there" he shrugged, and then went on with the conversation before Julie could tell him that he was not an idiot. "So…you get to kiss me this afternoon, must be a pretty exciting event for you? Something to write in the diary, remember for all eternity."  
  
"Sure, Dear Diary, turns out all the girls are liars, Dean is the worst kisser in the world…" She could not help but joke about it. Dean just grinned at her. Julie then looked around her, she didn't know where she was. "So Portman, where are you taking me?"  
  
"I was thinking again. And maybe, well…" He began and then paused, taking her by the wrist and entering the empty classroom beside them. He shut the door behind them, and Julie looked around.   
  
"Not that I don't love being dragged into classrooms for no reason, but umm, what is going on Portman" Julie asked him. Dean nervously made his way to one of the seats and sat down. Julie shrugged and took a seat beside him.   
  
"First kisses are bad" he announced. Julie, surprised by her friends revelation, could not help but nod. She had no idea what he was talking about. "Teeth always get in the way, and there is the akwardness of where to put your hands, and well…"  
  
Julie understood now what he was talking about, but did not necessarily understand why he was saying it. "Portman…"  
  
"I think we should kiss first" Dean told her, Julie was shocked by his forwardness. "Just to save it from being ackward for us in class. If we at least make it look natural, we wont have to listen to Banks and Conway and my so called Bash brother giving us hell for the rest of our lives. "  
  
"You want us to practice kissing" she confirmed. That had not been what she had expected him to say, but it was an exciting idea all the same. And his reasoning made quite a bit of sense, because she knew that not only would the three aforementioned Ducks give them crap if the kiss didn't look natural, but the rest of the team would feel free to add their two cents worth, and then, by the end of the day, the school would know about it, then Coach Orion would know, and since he considered it a comedian, he would never let them live it down.   
  
"Ok" she nodded.   
  
Portman nodded to. "Ok"  
  
Neither of them moved. All Julie wanted was for him to make the first move on her. Couldn't he just reach out and kiss her. He was Dean Portman, super stud, why wasn't he doing anything.   
  
Portman was just staring at his foot. He could not believe that his idea had worked. When he pulled Julie into the classroom with him, he had the vivid mental image that he would be walking out of there with a broken nose. But she had said yes, and now he had no idea what to do.   
  
Julie stood, Portman stood to. She looked at him, he looked at her. The first step was taken by Julie. His arm wrapped around her waist and hers around her neck. Julie couldn't help but laugh, now all that they needed was for some one to storm in.   
  
Portman paused. "I know" he sighed, letting her go and stepping away. He had misinterpreted her laugh as a nervous reaction of not being comfortable. "It is strange…"  
  
"Not strange, come here" Julie replied pulling him closer again. Their arms tightened around each other. They paused again, and this time, Portman laughed and let her go.   
  
"It is strange, cat lady"   
  
"You know what, one of us just has to jump the other." Julie explained, moving to sit on the desk. "We need to take each other by surprise and not think about it so much. That is what the problem is…"  
  
Portman nodded, agreeing. He had been thinking to much about what he was doing, that was why it didn't feel natural. But that was the whole point of this little exercise, first kisses were never natural, and this was what they needed to do.   
  
"So, are you going to jump me, or what?" Dean asked after a few moments silence. Julie looked shocked.   
  
"You are suppose to jump me!" She exclaimed. "That was why I suggested it…"  
  
He could not help but chuckle. It was pathetic. He was so glad that Fulton was not in the room for this. In the back of his mind, Potman could hear him laughing anyway. Taunting him. They sat there in silence for a little while longer, neither even moving. They refused to look at each other. The bell rang, bringing both disappointment and relief to both of them.  
  
Julie stood. "I guess I will see you at the practice this afternoon." she sighed. Julie turned to leave the room, but only got two steps away from him before she felt some one grabbing her around the waist. Julie turned just as pulled her into his arms.. His grip was pleasant on her as he held her close, cupped her cheek, and prepared to kiss her.   
  
Julie smiled, relaxed into his embrace, and prepared herself for the kiss.   
  
But the classroom door opened before he had a chance to close the gap between them. A few students who were in the room for the next period entered, taking loudly. Julie could not help but laugh. That was three times that had happened to them…maybe some one up there really did hate her.   
  
"Well" Dean chuckled, taking a step back for her as the students continued to stream into the room, and they were soon joined by their teacher. "I guess we will just have to continue this at practice… Unless of course, you like an audience?"  
  
She sighed, and left the room. Dean quickly followed her out, laughing to himself.   
  
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Ok, I hope you liked it. Look out for the next chapter, who knows, it might even have a kiss in it. 


	4. A kiss

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 4.  
  
Disclaimer - As always, I don't own the Ducks, I do, however, own Meredith, and also the character of Rebecca, Julie's roommate. She is mine also.   
  
Feedback - Go ahead. I enjoy it. I love hearing what you think of my work. And I get the impression that you like it so far.  
  
Notes - Ok, I want to start by saying, "Wow, 10 pages!" this chapter is the longest one so far, and I have to say that I am rather proud of myself. It took a little longer than I had expected, because I hit a wall and gave up, but then, I came back to it today, and I am happy with the end result. Well, at least, happier then what I was with the drafts. There is a lot in this chapter that I love, and also, this chapter there is the (drum roll) Kiss. Yes that's right, I was going to have another "oh, so close" moment, but I knew that one of you would track me down and kill me. Enjoy.   
  
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"Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo" Meredith called. The class all looked at her as she stood from where she was sitting behind the desk. She looked at her watch, then at the door, then back to her watch. The start of practice was running a little behind schedule. "No, really, if any one knows where for art thou Romeo, tell me now."  
  
She glanced at each of the teenagers before her. None of them moved. Meredith had entered her classroom for the afternoon practice to see the all but one of her students there. Dean was no where to be seen.   
  
"Fulton…" Meredith turned to the absent boys friend and roommate. If any one knew where he was it would have to be him. "Are you sure you don't know where he is?"  
  
Fulton shrugged "I am his friend, not his mother…" he replied. "But then again, that is a bad comparison, his mother doesn't know what he gets up to half the time…"  
  
"Thank god" Meredith mumbled to herself. "Wouldn't want to give the poor woman a heart attack…All right, who had their last class with Dean?"  
  
"I did" Luis announced. "We had physical education together. He said he was going to go to his locker and then come straight here"  
  
"Maybe he got distracted by something shiny" Russ suggested. Averman chuckled.  
  
Meredith ignored Russ and went on. "Is it possible that between the gym, his locker and here he could have gotten in enough trouble to get him put on an immediate detention?" she asked, a few people looked at her as though she had four heads "What am I saying? This is Dean Portman we are talking about, you could get himself into trouble anywhere…"  
  
"Ok, we really do have to get working on this. I was hoping to move onto the kiss this afternoon, but I guess, as they say in the business, the show must go on, and that means with or without our Romeo. Lets move on. Connie and Julie, would you run through the conversation between Juliet and the Nurse."  
  
Julie stood and made her way to the performance space with Connie, preparing to read through the scene that Meredith had specified. She wondered briefly where Dean was, and whether or not he would make it to the practice at all.   
  
She could not help but feel a slight blow to her ego. Dean knew that they would be practicing the kissing scene at this practice, and still he managed to find something else to occupy his time, either that or he had gotten in trouble. But either way, he had found something more important to do with his time then to come here and practice the play with her.   
  
Julie glanced once more at the door, and then shrugged. Who cared, she decided. There would be plenty of time for them to move onto the kissing scene. If it didn't happen today, then it would happen tomorrow, who cared.   
  
But no matter how much Julie reminded herself that it was not the end of the world if Dean was a no show to practice, she could not stop herself from looking to the door every time Meredith had interrupted them. And she scanned the class to see if he had slipped in silently and sat down. He never had.   
  
The end of the practice came, and there was still no Portman.   
  
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Julie tapped her pen against her note book and tried to make not to make it obvious that her mind was in fact not on her homework, she couldn't seem to get into it all tonight, but she could not place her finger on a reason why. Connie was sitting on her roommate's bed, studying from her physics textbook. They had hardly spoken to each other since the practice, but they had eaten in the presence of the rest of the team before coming upstairs to study. The two girls knew each other so well, it was almost a routine that they studied together.  
  
Julie had managed to forget the fact that Dean had not come to practice until she had sat down to eat and realised that he wasn't even at diner. That worried her, if there was one thing that Dean Portman was notorious for, it was being punctual to diner. He was late everywhere else he went, but always on time for food.   
  
"So…" Connie began. Julie, thankful for the distraction from her tedious work, turned to her, half expecting her friend to ask something about the work that they had started in class. "Where did you and Portman disappear to at lunch today?"  
  
Julie dropped her pen. That was not the question that she had been expecting. "Me and Portman? Oh, we just went for a walk, He wanted us to…he needs help with understanding the play, and I have been talking him through it"   
  
"Oh, see, I knew there would be a simple explanation to it all…" Connie smiled, accepting her friends casual reply and turned back to her book. Julie sighed, turned back to her homework (with every intention of just pretending to do it) and picked up her can of soda that she had been drinking.   
  
Connie spoke again. "Fulton and Adam seemed to think that the two of you went to make out or something…"  
  
Julie choked on the drink, coughing a little and spluttering it across her desk. Connie stood, grabbing a handful of tissues from the box on the bed side table to help clear up the mess.   
  
"I told them that it was insane, of course…unless there is something you are yet to tell me" Connie said, digging for information. Julie knew what she was trying to do, and had to admit that Connie was knew what she was doing when it came to gentle interrogation.   
  
Julie had not intended on telling anyone that Dean had asked if they could practice kissing. For some reason, what a duck told another duck in confidence was always all over the team by the end of the day. Who would have guessed that male hockey players could gossip better then most girls did? Adam and Charlie where the worst, but that was not the point. The point was, Julie wanted to keep the proposition of kissing practices to herself, and she had the feeling that Dean didn't want anyone to know either.   
  
But then there was Connie. Her powers of interrogation, plus the fact that she could pull the best friend card at any point made it almost impossible for Julie to hide anything from her. Connie would either talk it out of her, or, she would chuck a tantrum when it eventually got out, and she realised that she had been the last to know.   
  
Julie decided it would just be easier to tell her the truth.   
  
"Ok, so we were going to kiss…" Julie admitted. Connie giggled and collapsed back onto the bed, smiling widely.   
  
"I knew it!"  
  
"Wait, I thought you said that it was Fulton and Banksie had this opinion?" Julie asked, amazed. Connie smiled an evil smile, and then shrugged at her friend.   
  
"Just because I didn't say it doesn't mean I wasn't thinking it" Connie replied. Julie rolled her eyes. "So, tell me everything. What did he do? What did he say? Is he a good kisser? Where did he put his hands? Did he use tongue?"  
  
The warning siren in Julie's mind went off, but before she could do anything, the transformation was over. Cool hockey player Connie was no longer sitting before her and in her place was the giggly, girly best friend Connie. This was the Connie who liked chick flicks, who painted her nails, who discussed boys and giggled like a brainless bimbo. Girly Connie didn't make an appearance often, but when ever she did, Julie always left the conversation with a headache.   
  
"Connie" Julie held up her hand in a vain attempt to stop her before she became a giggling shell of her former self. "I said we were going to kiss, not that we did…"  
  
"What happened?" Connie asked, perching herself at the end of the bed, the closest she could possibly sit to Julie without crowding her.   
  
"Mr Freders ninth grade human reproductive sciences class walked in." Julie replied, and then rolled her eyes. Connie laughed. "And I was in no way going to give them anything to fuel their annoying sex discussions with."  
  
Connie was still laughing at her. Julie shook her head, picked up her pen and turned back to her homework. Maybe if she looked like she was getting some work done, then Connie would leave her be, and stop with the questions. She really didn't want to talk about it with her. And besides, she already had the bad feeling that Connie would tell the first Duck she saw, and the team would know before breakfast.  
  
"But he wanted to kiss you, so that is pretty cool…"  
  
"He only suggested that we kiss so that when we had to do it in class Fulton and Adam and Charlie wouldn't feel the need to make stupid comments" Julie explained. Connie nodded, and it was obvious to Julie that her friend did not believe that. Julie shrugged, let Connie believe what she wanted to believe, she had told the truth, and that was all that mattered.  
  
"So, why didn't you kiss him, I mean, you had all lunch to do it. And the spark was there, I saw you in class…" Connie continued. Julie sighed, closed her books and threw her pen aside. Her plan had failed, so now it was time to talk. Even if she didn't want to.   
  
"We always seem to get interrupted, and then when we do have enough time, we cant seem to get past the fact that we are friends." Julie told her. Connie looked like she was thinking before moving onto the next question. Julie anticipated and prepared for the inevitable explosion.   
  
"He tried to kiss you before?" She exclaimed when the thought finally caught up with her. "When? Where? What happened? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Calm down, Last night when we were practicing…It is no big deal" Julie dismissed, standing and crossing the room to sit on her roommates bed. Her roommate, Rebecca, was probably off with her boyfriend and would not be back till after curfew.   
  
"No big deal!"  
  
"Connie, breathe, relax. Ok, all you need to know is that I have not kissed yet" Julie sighed. "And I will tell you all about it when it happens"  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise" Julie told her heavily. Why did it suddenly feel like she had just made a deal with the devil?  
  
The two sat in silence. Happiness washed over Julie as she watched her friend slowly morph back into the cool, casual, non-insane version of herself.   
  
"Were you disappointed that he didn't come to practice this afternoon?" Connie asked after a few minutes. Julie sighed, honestly wondering how to reply to that. In the first few minutes that she had realised that he was a no show, a lot of different emotions had run through her, but as far as she could tell, none of them were disappointment. Anger, hurt, confusion, all in miniscule measures, but no disappointment.   
  
"I don't know" Julie replied. "like I said before. It is no big deal. So he didn't show up, who cares. You are acting like he left me at the alter or something…"  
  
"But you were going to kiss today?" Connie replied, as though it was the point of her whole argument. Julie suddenly realised that it was the point of Connie's whole argument. And probably the argument of every single duck on the team. Were they all so desperate to see her and Portman kiss? Didn't they realise it was no big deal?   
  
"So, then we will kiss tomorrow or the day after, who cares. It is no big thing to me." Julie replied, collapsing back on to the bed. She heard Connie sigh, but decided to ignore it.  
  
"I think that you and Portman should date" Connie stated, as though it was a simplistic and foolproof theory. Julie sat up quickly, trying to decide if her friend was being serious or not. But the look on her face was one of complete seriousness.   
  
"What"  
  
"I said you and Portman should date. You would make a great couple."  
  
"We would make a bad couple" Julie replied. "It would never work between him and me. I mean, Have you ever tried having a serious conversation with him. If he is not grunting and bashing into things, he is making seriously annoying jokes and or stupid little comments, with the intention of getting on your nerves…He annoys me." Julie replied. She had no idea that she felt that way about Dean, but as soon as she had opened her mouth, the words began to flood out.   
  
She was not sure if the somewhat hurtful things she had said were just a knee jerk reaction to Connie saying that they should date, but either way, she felt horrible. Dean wasn't as bad as she had said he was. And he was a friend, even if he did get on her nerves sometimes.   
  
"So, he is the opposite of you. Opposites attract…" Connie replied.   
  
Julie sighed, and decided to try the next excuse. Her golden rule. "I don't date hockey players."   
  
It was true, after a disastrously boring three week relationship with Scooter after the JV/Varsity game, she had decided that she would never again date a hockey player, no exceptions. Two people with strong opinions on the same thing would always end in fights. The fight that had ended her relationship with Scooter was one on which team had the better defensive line.   
  
"That is a stupid rule, just because of what happened with Scooter…" Connie began.   
  
"Connie, why are you trying to marry me off all of a sudden?" Julie exclaimed. "I am cool with being single. I have my dating hockey player rule for a reason. I don't want to date Dean, not only because he is not my type, but also because he is a close friend of mine, has been for years, and probably will be for a very long time…"  
  
"The lady doth…"  
  
"Connie, if you finish that sentence with 'protest to much' I sware I will bash you to death with my hockey stick." Julie growled menacingly. Another warning siren went off in her head, but before Julie could do anything to stop it, she had gone from casual smile about it all Julie, to bitch Julie. She hated when she got this way, she got angry, crabby, and people didn't really like her when she was irritated. Julie didn't like herself when she was irritate.   
  
"And on that note" Connie smiled. She realised that she was annoying her friend, and decided it was time for her to go home, leave Julie to simmer in peace. Julie didn't get bitchy often, but when she did, it was time to take cover. She would always be nice by the next day, and would find a way to apologise. "See you tomorrow"  
  
Julie watched as Connie threw her books into her bag, and could not help but smile. With Connie gone, maybe, just maybe, she could find the concentration that had left her hours before. Maybe she could get a little homework done after all. "Bye Connie" she waved absently before opening her books again. She dimly realised that her door had been closed, but other then that, she was back into the pattern of her work. It was sinking in, and she as understanding it, getting questions right.   
  
There was a knock on the door only minutes later. Julie dropped her pen heavily. "Connie…" Julie called, standing to answer the door "If you are here to gossip about Dean again, I am going to have to tell you to…"  
  
After opening the door, Julie couldn't stop the blush that rose on her cheeks. There was Dean, standing in the hallway, leaning casually against the doorframe and looking confused.   
  
"Connie was gossiping about me?" He asked, a fake look of hurt on his face. Julie sighed and stepped back, allowing him into the room.   
  
One thing that had always confused Julie about this school was that there were no rules about boys and girls being in rooms together before curfew. There were the obvious rules that a boy and a girl could not be alone together in a room after curfew, but in the whole Eden Hall rule book, there was no rule that said that boys and girls could not hang out alone together with the door shut before curfew. Many of the boys on the team, especially Luis, enjoyed the flexibility of this rule, or, the lack of it.   
  
As Dean passed her and entered the room, he realised that he had never been in her dorm room before. Inside however, was very much as he had expected it to be. It was actually much like his and Fulton's. Neither Julie or her roommate, Rebecca, were really girly, so their walls were covered with hockey and music posters. Random junk cluttered the desktops. It looked lived in, and so Dean felt immediately comfortable.   
  
"Connie wasn't gossiping about you…" Julie replied, hoping to find a way to explain what had happened without embarrassing anyone. "She was just being Connie."  
  
"You mean she dragged herself away from Guy long enough to actually be her own person?" Dean asked, sitting on Rebecca's, still taking in the room. Julie laughed and sat across from him on her own bed.   
  
"What, you mean, you don't know the newest part of the saga?" Julie smiled, Dean shook his head. "They are on break up 27...or maybe 28"  
  
"You have got to be kidding me" He chuckled. "Those two will either end up getting married and having a million miniature Guys, or one of them will murder the other, it is insanity"  
  
Julie laughed. "God, I hope not, one Guy is enough"   
  
Dean laughed and took another long look around the room, and then his gaze fell on something in the corner. Standing, he picked up Rebecca's guitar.   
  
"Yours?"  
  
"Becks" Julie replied, referring to Rebecca, her roommate. "You play?" She asked. It was something she had never expected of Portman. She knew that he enjoyed music, and that he liked to play it loud, but she had never thought to ask if he actually knew how to play.   
  
"I know a few cords." he replied, positioning his fingers on the strings. Julie laughed.   
  
"More then some musicians know" she told him. Dean laughed to himself and began to strum the guitar. Julie soon realised that he was playing the chorus of some song, a song that she recognised the tune of. It was more then likely some song that she had heard blaring through the door of Dean and Fulton's room once, but it sounded so much better with just an acoustic guitar. It was a really nice song, she decided.   
  
"What, you are not going to sing for me?" she asked him. Dean looked up and smiled.  
  
"I could if you want to" he smiled, continuing to play. Julie laughed and stretched out on her own bed, once again, her homework was forgotten. It was getting close to curfew anyway, so it was about time that she packed it up for the night.   
  
"Not that I am not enjoying watching you prove yourself musically, can I ask if you had a reason for coming here?"  
  
He returned the guitar to where he found it. "I wanted to apologise for not showing to practice."  
  
"You mean, you were not at practice?" She asked sarcastically. "Then who was I making out with all afternoon?"  
  
"Very funny Jules." he smiled. "I just wanted to tell you that I was in detention and I couldn't get out of it, Mr Walsh thought that I had damaged the locker next to mine, which of course is a load of bull. I would have been there I if could have, you know that."   
  
"Hey, don't apologise to me, apologise to Meredith I guess." Julie shrugged. She had no idea why people were thinking that him not coming to practice would have an effect on her. But she did admit it made her feel a little better now that she knew that it was not his choice not to be there.   
  
"So what did I miss?" he asked. Julie shrugged.   
  
"Not much…" she smiled. She felt like telling him that the only thing that he had missed was another opportunity to kiss her, but she let it slide. "We just worked around you."  
  
"You worked around me!" He asked, the fake hurt look back on his face. "You mean you did not sit around and cry that I was not there?"  
  
"Goldberg might of, but then again, he is a little odd" Julie shrugged casually. "Just consider yourself lucky that we didn't replace you…"  
  
"Replace me? Ha, good one Jules" Dean grinned. "Why do you think that Meredith didn't appoint some one as understudy?"  
  
"Ran out of students?" she asked innocently.   
  
"Because Dean Portman can no be replaced!" Dean joked, smiling. "Dean Portman is…"  
  
"Referring to himself in the third person" she sat up, a smile on her face also. "Rather scary. And he is completely replaceable."  
  
"No, I am not!"  
  
"Yes, you are!"  
  
"No, I am not!" Dean stood.   
  
"Yes, you so are!" Julie added, standing.   
  
"I am not!" Dean pushed Julie's shoulder playfully.   
  
"Are to!" Julie pushed him back.   
  
"No!" He smiled and pushed her other shoulder.   
  
"Yes!" Julie reached out to push him again, but was stopped when Dean gabbed her hand. She struggled against his grip for a second, before he tugged her arm gently, and she fell forward into his chest.   
  
He gripped her waist carefully as he caught her, and Julie looked up into his eyes. The laughter that was between them only seconds earlier had evaporated, and Julie nervously ran her hands up his strong arms to rest on his hard biceps. His gaze locked with hers, and slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers.   
  
Success, Julie smiled as she adjusted her mouth under his just a little. The kiss was soft, and completely innocent, but that didn't mean that she was not enjoying it.   
  
Dean pulled away, and Julie opened her eyes to look deep into his. His eyes were a nice colour, she had never noticed them before, and the looked at her with this unusual emotion that she could not place. Julie looked away, his gaze suddenly to intense. She wanted to say something, anything, but all her mind was allowing her to think was "Damn"  
  
And suddenly, she felt Dean's thumb against her cheek, tilting her face in his hand so that he could kiss her again. This time, when his lips parted, Julie went with it. She let him kiss her, and she had to admit, the boy knew what he was doing. She knees felt like jelly, and she was so glad that she was still holding his arms, his arms still wrapped around her.   
  
Some where in the back of her mind, Dean's words floated to the surface. 'First kisses are always bad…' and mentally she called him a liar. Because this was pretty damn perfect.   
  
He deepened the kiss. Julie tightened her grip on him, and stood on her toes a little, just to close the gap that their different heights created. She kissed him back with the same intensity that he was showing her. His hands worked up her back, she could feel the heat of them through her thin shirt.   
  
She felt him cupping her cheek again, and he pulled away slowly. Julie kept her eyes shut for a few moments, scared that if she opened them she would not be standing in his arms, but in fact standing all alone after imagining the whole thing.   
  
But she opened her eyes, and was not alone. Dean was still there, holding her to his chest gently. She smiled to herself.   
  
"See, I told you kissing me would be the best experience of your life…" Dean mumbled. Julie pulled away, smiled and slapped his arm. He grinned at her. "Now, now, no need to get violent…unless you want me to stop you again?"  
  
Julie thought for a second. She had to options, and he mind was screaming at her to take the one that would lead to them kissing again. But Dean had not given her enough time to reply, because suddenly, his lips were on hers again.   
  
Her arms wound around his neck and the kiss soon got as good as the last one. Julie could not believe that this was happening, to her, of all people, but she realised that if Dean kissed every girl the way he was kissing her, then it was no mystery as to why he was so popular with the female population of Eden Hall.   
  
Suddenly, and without warning, the door to the dorm room burst open. Rebecca Roman, Julie's roommate, saw what was happening and then stepped out, closing the door behind her quickly. But it was enough to break what ever had been between Dean and Julie.   
  
"Julie, I am so sorry" Rebecca called through the door. Julie giggled a little, untangled herself from Deans arms, and then crossed to open the door and let her friend in. "I didn't think that you would be in here with anybody…not that you wouldn't be here with anyone…" Rebecca stammered. "Umm, hi" she offered to Dean. He smiled at her.   
  
"Dean and I were just practicing for a play…" Julie began. She could not believe this was happening. In the mirror on the other side of the room, she caught a look of herself. Her cheeks were pinkish, either from the kiss, or from the fact that Rebecca had walked in.   
  
"Practicing for a play? Is that what it is called?" Rebecca smiled, and Julie felt as though she was blushing more. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. If you guys want a little bit more time, I can go for a walk until curfew…"  
  
"No, it is alright Rebecca. It is getting late. I should get going…" Dean replied. "I will talk to you tomorrow Jules…" he paused and then kissed her cheek quickly. Julie smiled and moved with him to the door. They said another quick goodbye, and Julie closed the door, collapsing against it.   
  
One thing was for sure, they were going to be a convincing Romeo and Juliet.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
So do you like it? Was the kiss (or should I say Kisses) ok. Don't worry, this story is no where near finished. 


	5. A conversation

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 5  
  
Disclaimer - I do not own the Ducks. I only own Rebecca and Meredith, and now Old Man Walsh. (who is based off of one of my old teachers.)  
  
Feedback - Go for it, I love feedback, and I love all the nice things that you all have to say about this story. I am really enjoying writing this.   
  
Notes - It is funny how things happen really. When I wrote the first draft of this chapter, I was really disappointed with it, and then, I came back to it, and I think that it is majorly improved.   
  
Thank you all for your kind words. To every one who mentioned it, I am glad that they finally kissed each other to. Just so you know, I still have lots of great ideas for this fic, so it is all good.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The door opened, slammed shut, breaking the silence of the dark room. Portman collapsed back onto it, breathing heavily. His hand moved over his heart, and he smiled as he felt his heartbeat against it. That, had been fun.   
  
By the time he had left Julie's room, he had had to run back to the boys dorm to get in before curfew. Even then, he had gotten back late, and had had to dodge teachers all the way to his room. He didn't mind, since leaving her room, he had been running on pure adrenalin.   
  
"Where were you?"   
  
Portman held his finger to his lips to get Fulton to quiet down. He had had to run fastest from the end of the hall to their room, because Old Man Walsh (the one teacher in the whole school who seemed to have it in for him.) had almost caught him on the stairs. Dean looked around the dark of the room, and then launched himself at his bed, getting under the covers quickly before he began to kick his shoes and other pieces of clothing off.   
  
Knowing his luck, Old Man Walsh would be right behind him, and would open the door as he was getting changed, and then, he would be on another crappy detention with him. Walsh was the one who had stopped him from getting to play practice earlier that afternoon. Every one hated detentions with Walsh, but it seemed that the old man had a grudge against Dean, because everything always seemed to be his fault.   
  
"Close one?" Fulton asked.   
  
"Close one" he agreed, collapsing into his bed and manoeuvring himself under the blankets. A minute later, he had managed to get out of his pants and shirt, leaving himself in his boxers to sleep He shrugged and threw the clothes towards the corner of the room, he would deal with them later.   
  
"So, where were you? You didn't come to practice, or dinner, and I haven't seen you since" Fulton asked him, and then he smiled to himself in the darkness. "You were with some girl, right?"  
  
"Not for the whole time. Some of it Old Man Walsh had me on detention, but yeah, the rest of the night I was with a girl…" Dean sighed, suddenly caught up in the memory of it all. "And what a girl…"  
  
"Cheerleader?" Fulton asked, Dean shook his head. "Science Nerd?" once again, he shock his head. "Chess Club? Musician?" there was no reply. "Portman, I am running out of groups here…"  
  
"It is not important who she was" Dean replied. "Only that it was…amazing." Dean stopped himself from saying anything else. He wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible that he had just had one of the best kisses of his life with Julie. The best three kisses of his life really. He had only intended on kissing her once, a quick kiss on the lips, just as a warm up to what ever Meredith wanted them to do in the play.   
  
But as he held her against him, he realised that he would not be able to just kiss her once. Before he knew it, they were a tangle of arms and lips, and honestly, there was no where else that he wanted to be. He didn't know what it was, but he had not wanted to let Julie go.   
  
If Rebecca had not have come in, then who knows what he would be doing now.   
  
"So, are you going to just leave me wondering, or do I get to find out what happened?"  
  
"Sorry man, I am not sharing this story." Dean rolled on his side so that he could look at his roommate and best friend through the darkness. "This one I take to the grave…"  
  
Fulton laughed to himself. "Shit, I did not think it would ever be possible…"  
  
"What?" Dean asked. Fulton just smiled at him.   
  
"What, you mean you don't see it?" He chuckled. "Dean Portman, you are in love…"  
  
"Love? Are you crazy? I am not in love!" He replied forcefully. "I cant be in love."  
  
"Then why are you keeping this a secret?"  
  
"Because…because this girl made me feel something. More then any other girl has, this was not just any kiss, it was…"  
  
"Love?"  
  
"Yes…No. No, it was not love." he paused, and searched for the words to explain himself "It was respect, and understanding, comfort maybe. But it was not love. Maybe it was that really cool friendly love, you know. But we are just friends, have been for years, there is no romantic love there…"  
  
"Julie!" Fulton smiled, sitting up and pointing at him. "You made out with Julie!"  
  
Dean cursed silently. Anyone who said that his bash brother was not smart had obviously never been talked into a corner by him. Fulton had always had a unique talent of getting people to admit things. He was a bit like Connie with her interrogation skills. Dean hoped that he was not the victim on the day the two of them decided to gang up on someone. It could get messy.  
  
"Yes, ok, I kissed Julie." Dean admitted. "But Fulton, as my best friend and bash brother, you have to promise me that you will not tell anyone. No one…Promise me Fulton. Promise me!"  
  
"I promise I will tell no one…" Fulton sighed, and then grinned to himself. "other then Charlie and Adam"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dean woke and stretched his hands above his hand, working the kinks out of his back. His mind was foggy still, and he decided that maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was still so early in the morning that it was still dark outside.   
  
Usually, when he woke this early with out a specific purpose, it put him in a crabby mood for the rest of the day, he was thankful this time, however, that he had gotten any sleep at all. It usually took him no time at all to fall asleep, but the night before, after he had had the conversation with Fulton about Julie, he had found himself unable to go to sleep. He had counted sheep and recited hockey statistics, but nothing seemed to lull him into sleep.   
  
His thoughts, it seemed, had been dwelling on two things, the kiss with Julie, and his own argument against his friends allegations that he was in love with Julie. He had said that he was not I love with her, if anything, he was comfortable with her. And in some ways what he had said was the truth, but his traitor of a brain had kept bugging him. Suggesting that maybe, just maybe, Fulton was right to.   
  
Julie had been a big part of his life for a while now, but he had only ever considered her a friend. A hockey friend who just happened to be a girl. It was like he had built a wall to split up the categories. There were girls on one side of the wall, and then there were the Ducks on the other. It was like he had never officially realised that Julie was both.   
  
Obviously he knew that she was a girl. She lived in different dorms, she changed in a different section of the change rooms, she had long hair and a girls body, hell, he had even admitted once that if he had had to pick who was better looking out of Julie or Connie, he would pick Julie (not that he thought that there was anything wrong with Connie, of course. He thought that she was a nice looking girl, but there had always been something about Julie) He knew that she was a girl, but in his mind, he had always just linked the name Julie to the fact that she was a goalie.   
  
But as soon as he realised he would have to kiss her for this play, everything changed for him. He no longer looked at Julie as 'Julie the goalie' she was now 'Julie the girl' it was like she had jumped the wall and joined the girls side.  
  
And then he had kissed her. The anticipation had gotten to much for him, and when he had seen his opportunity, he had pulled her into his arms and just went for it. He had kissed her, and his heart had leapt when he realised that she was kissing him back intensely. She had held him tighter then any other girl he had ever kissed, and he had found himself holding her tightly to him. Anything to keep them close together for as long as possible.   
  
He had been in heaven, but like all good things, it had been ended. Rebecca had come in, and he although he didn't really want to, he had left. He knew that he had to get out of there, because if he didn't take that opportunity to leave, then he never would have.   
  
And then he had returned to his room, and Fulton had used the 'L' word. It had scared him to think that maybe his friend had been right, so he had denied it. It seemed so much easier to tell him that he flat out not in love with Julie then to find a way to explain to him that maybe there was something inside him that may have in some way been in love with Julie. A part of him that never realised had existed.   
  
He had never been in love before, and he was Dean Portman, who didn't want to be in love for quite some time. Love meant being with one girl, and making plans for the future. Love meant settling down, thinking ahead to how your actions effected other people. Love meant being two people instead of one. And he knew he was not ready for that yet. Nothing would make him ready for that, not for a few years yet anyway. So what he was feeling for Julie couldn't be love.  
  
…It couldn't be…  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"You are kidding me!"  
  
"Cake eater, you know me, would I joke about something like this?"  
  
"He really said that?" Charlie asked. "He used the words 'I kissed Julie'? Those exact words?"  
  
"Those exact words!" Fulton told them "Charlie, he even used the words 'That was not just any kiss'" He held out his hand to the captain. "Pay up"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait, all bets are not off" Adam said, stopping Charlie (who was muttering curses under his breath) from digging in his pocket for money. Charlie looked up at his friend for further explanation. "We don't know he loves her, and we sure as hell don't know that she loves him back…this money could still be mine…"  
  
"Like you don't have enough already" Fulton sighed, retracting his hand. He looked up to the door, and then quickly back at his team mates. "Remember, not a word, you know nothing…"  
  
"Morning Portman" Adam nodded at him. Portman, who realised that Adam never said good morning to him, looked at him suspiciously before he sat beside Fulton. "Heard Walsh was on your back again…"  
  
Fulton smiled. All three boys knew that that was a good distraction, Portman could rant and rave for hours about how much Walsh hated him, and how the feeling was mutual. Portman began his usual rant, and was in the process of explaining which detours Old Man Walsh could take on the way to hell, when something at the door caught the attention of all four of them. They all stopped, what they were doing, Dean stopping mid sentence, and watched as Julie said goodbye to Rebecca, and then made her way to the ducks table.   
  
"Morning boys" she smiled, and then realised that they had stopped talking as soon as she had made an approach to the table. She looked at each boy suspiciously, pausing a little longer to look at Dean.. Had they been talking about her? Had he told the others about the kiss? "What were you talking about?"  
  
"Walsh!" Dean spat, and suddenly, he was back into his rant. Julie, who had heard it all before, excused herself to go and get something to eat.   
  
Charlie breathed a quick sigh of relief, and then went back to the friendly "Yeah, that's right" in the pauses in Dean's speech.   
  
By the time Julie had gotten back to the table, a few other Ducks, had joined into the discussion, and were sharing their multiple stories about their run ins with Walsh. Then, the idea of revenge was presented, and ideas for pranks on Old Man Walsh were being thrown around the table. Julie sighed and turned to her breakfast. Some times boys never grew up.   
  
Julie could not help but watch Portman, who seemed to be the leader of this prank. He waved his hands around as he ordered the other boys to do things. He had Ken writing down the details of Russ's plan to put liquid laxative in Old Man Walsh's personal coffee supply. He had Charlie and Adam thinking of ways to get to the supply in the first place. Luis and Goldberg were deciding the best way to get off campus to a drug store to buy the laxative in the first place, and Guy and Averman were thinking up ways to distract the teacher so that he would not be in the staff room when all this happened.   
  
And then, as the team spoke loudly around him, Dean looked up, his gaze locked with Julie's, and they both smiled. A sneaky little smile, they shared a secret (of course, neither knew that Fulton had already told the team gossips about the kiss.) Dean smiled at her again, and then turned back to the other Ducks, who were asking questions about refining the plan.   
  
Not long after, Meredith made her way over to the table, making the pranksters disperse as she informed them that she had pulled a few strings, and from now on, practices would be in the school auditorium, where they could work with a real stage.   
  
When the bell rang, and the group split up to head to their lessons. They whispered in their little groups as they left the dining hall, and Julie could not help but wonder how many of them would be benched for this weekend's game as a result of this little adventure in revenge.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Just heard an interesting rumour"  
  
Julie turned to see that Connie was sitting beside her. They were sitting in geography, their first lesson after their morning break. Julie looked at her friend and smiled a little.   
  
"Really, what is that?" She asked, expecting to hear some interesting piece of juicy gossip that had been passed to her through the Eden Hall grapevine. Connie leant over the to her table a little so that she would be able to whisper to her.   
  
"The number one goalie and one of the defensive enforcers of the ducks spent the night together!" Connie told her. "Julie, why didn't you tell me! You spent the night with Dean? You were planning on keeping this from me?"  
  
"Connie" she hissed. "Calm down, I was not planning on keeping this from you, but it was not exactly something that I could just announce over breakfast. And I did not 'spend the night' with him, he just came by before curfew and we kissed like we had planned to do earlier that day." Julie informed her. She looked quickly at the front of the room where their teacher (incidentally, it was Old Man Walsh) had just entered, and was writing the class notes on the board. "Who told you anyway?"  
  
"Adam!" Connie exclaimed quietly. "Adam. Julie, I am your best friend, and some how, Adam Banks knows things about you before I do. Did I wake up in the twilight zone?"  
  
"No" Julie sighed. "I am sure that Dean told Fulton, who told Adam. You know how the Ducks grapevine works. You should be lucky that the whole team didn't know before you"  
  
"Doesn't mean that I am happy with you." Connie mumbled sadly. "You said you would tell me when something happened between the two of you"  
  
"And I was going to tell you" Julie replied "I was going to tell you today at some time. I promise"  
  
Connie sighed "You promise to tell me if it happens again?"  
  
"You will probably be present next time I have to kiss him. We had practice at some point today. Meredith will probably want us to kiss then" Julie told her. At the front of the room, Old Man Walsh was still writing up notes. Every one else in the room were copying them down, except for the girls.   
  
"So…was it good?"  
  
Julie smiled, and found herself softly telling Connie everything that had happened the night before.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"Good, you all made it" Meredith smiled as she walked into the auditorium and saw the class already gathered. All of the male ducks were to one side, conversing quietly about something, and Meredith had to admit that she was a little suspicious of them. But then again, Ducks in big groups usually made her suspicious. There was something about them, something that no one could really put a finger on, but something that made them a little less than trustworthy. On the other side of the room was Julie and Connie, and a few of the other girls in the class, who looked to be discussing the play.   
  
"Boys, sorry to split this up, but you are officially on my time now" Meredith told them. Soon the group wrapped up their conversations and sat, ready to start class.   
  
"This is a stage" Meredith smiled, climbing up onto it. There were a few sarcastic replies, but Meredith just grinned. "And this stage is where you will all make your dramatic debuts. So every one come up here…come on"  
  
The class stood and made their way to the stage. "Looks bigger then up here, doesn't it?" Meredith asked. A few people nodded. "I want you to practice in here to get used to it. There is an extreme difference between standing in the middle of a circle of chairs, and being here, in this room, with the stage and the atmosphere…It feels different, right?"  
  
"Very" some one said. Meredith turned and realised that a few of her students looked a little green.   
  
"You will get used to it. It may seem daunting at the moment, but believe me, you will come off of this stage on the night and the first thing that you will say is 'lets do it again!'"  
  
"Doubt it" Guy began, and a few laughed. Meredith shrugged.   
  
"Damn hockey players, you make it seem like acting on a stage in front of people is so much different from skating on ice in front of people." She sighed, jumping down off of the stage and sitting in the front row. "It is not really…"  
  
"It is" Adam replied. "Hockey has guidelines and rules…"  
  
"So does acting. Rule number one, when you are on that stage, your back must never face the audience. Rule number two, don't block your fellow actor. Unless the scene calls for it, you do not stand in front of anyone else. Rule Number three, know your lines and your cues." She began. "Those are just stage basics. There are a lot of things you have to remember, but don't worry, you will learn them as we go along. Some of them are just common sense." Meredith replied "But right now, lets move on!"  
  
Meredith called every body down off of the stage except for Julie and Dean. After quickly questioning Dean as to where he had been the afternoon before ("Damn detention with Damn Walsh" had been Dean's reply), Meredith announced that they were going to move onto the kiss, just as they had intended for the last practice.   
  
Julie blushed a little, remembering what it had felt like to have Dean kiss her the night before. Half of her could not wait for the opportunity to feel his skilled lips on hers again, but also, Julie could not help but wonder if it would all be different this time. The night before had been a spur of the moment thing, and the fact that they had been alone for it had played a huge part in the passion they shared. She looked at Dean, and the look in his eyes made her stop thinking completely.   
  
"When you guys are ready, why don't you just go for it" Meredith said from her seat in the audience, where all the other ducks were watching. Julie looked at Dean nervously, but when he reached out and wrapped an arm comfortably around her waist, she felt herself relax, even though her heart beat increased.   
  
"Hi" he smiled a little. Julie laughed.   
  
"Hi" she replied. Dean could tell that Julie was nervous, and he wanted to do anything he could to relax her. He had to admit, it was a nerve wracking situation. All those people who would be giving them crap by the end of the lesson.   
  
"Ready to do this?" he asked her. Julie sighed, nodded, and relaxed again when she felt him stroke her cheek.   
  
They fell into the kiss quite easily, starting slowly as they had the night before. Soon, Julie forgot that she was standing on a stage in front of all the ducks, and just let herself be kissed by Dean. He seemed comfortable with taking control of the situation, and Julie was extremely comfortable with letting him do so.   
  
Dean forgot where he was for a minute as they continued to kiss. Like the night before, he realised, he didn't really want to let her go. But he also knew that standing in the middle of an English class was not the best place to do this.   
  
The kiss wound down, and Dean pulled away a little. Julie smiled a softly as she opened her eyes and looked deeply into eyes. They were so caught up in themselves, that they didn't even realise that the class was cheering.   
  
Dean looked at Fulton, Adam and Charlie, and smirked, daring them to say something, anything. But all three of them looked so shocked that he knew that they would have nothing to say about it for a very long time.   
  
The cheering died down, and both of them made their way back to their seats. Dean sat between Fulton and Charlie, smiling. None of them knew what to say to him.   
  
But on the other side of the room, Connie grabbed Julie's arm and pulled her into the seat beside her.   
  
"We need to talk" she hissed. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Tell you what?" Julie asked. She looked across the room at Dean, who caught her eye and smiled at her.   
  
"Why didn't you tell me you have feelings for him!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
What? What is she talking about? Well, you will find out next chapter. Review. 


	6. Just a play

Romeo and Julie  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine, but like always, Rebecca and Meredith are mine. I also claim Matt from this chapter.   
  
Feedback - Sure, I adore it.   
  
Notes - Hey, firstly, I am sorry that I didn't get this out yesterday. I tried to type, but my muse was gone, and then I had a group of friends come to stay the night, so it was all crazy. I also have to say that I have not slept in like 39 hours. I love this chapter, so maybe I should not sleep more often and then write more.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Julie stuck to her corner of the dressing room as they prepared for that afternoon's practice. The team only had one locker room, and the girls found that in order to get an privacy while they changed, they had to isolate themselves from the boys.   
  
Not that Julie minded. At that point in time, she could care less what any of the male ducks, or even Connie was doing. Julie could hear each of them, they had all gotten over their shock of seeing Julie and Dean kissing, and now they were breaking out the annoying jokes and comments. Julie would be happy if she never again heard the word 'Duckling'. But now she was trying her best to ignore them, she had other things on her mind.   
  
Connie had put the thought in her mind. And now it was there, festering away. She wondered if festering was the right word to use, but realised it was, it had to be. There was no way Julie wanted to look on this situation with positive words. All negative from now on. Festering, painful, decaying.   
  
How could Connie say that she was in love with Dean. There was no way in hell that she could be in 'love' with Dean Portman. He was…Portman. He was six foot three inches of dumb jock, he was annoying, he was disgusting sometimes. He was…a good kisser, but that was not the point.   
  
He was her best friend. Well, best male friend anyway. From the day that they had met each other, the day before they had met the District 5 ducks, they had been friends. That was just the way things were. The team USA additions to the team knew that by joining a team with an already close bond, they would be on the outskirts for a little while, and the friendship that they had would be stronger. Julie had connected early on with Dean, and it had stayed that way for a long while.   
  
Even when Dean had become the other bash brother, and she had decided that maybe Connie was not as bad as she had first suspected, they still knew they could go to each other with things. And they had been close, until this damn play.   
  
This play had awoken emotions in her that she was having issues explaining. Her stomach was in knots when ever Dean was around, her heart would beat faster. Julie's palms would sweat when she thought of him, and she could not get her mind of off that kiss.   
  
And she was not in love with him. This was just a common reaction to that kiss, yeah, that was what it was. Julie took a deep breath, secured her pads, and assured herself that it was all just a reaction to the kiss. The butterflies in her stomach, the sweating (which she could very easily do without), the increase in heartbeat, it was all just because a boy was paying attention to her. She had been like that with Scooter, and now she was like this with Dean.   
  
If any boy was to kiss her, then she would react the same way. Julie was sure of it. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Dean, and everything with the fact that she was getting some sort of attention from a member of the opposite sex.   
  
Julie knew that she was not in love with Dean. Couldn't be. Wouldn't want to be.   
  
…Besides, he was a hockey player, and she didn't date hockey players…  
  
*****  
  
"So, I decided to give Guy a second chance…"  
  
Julie rolled her eyes and wondered how many times in the last few months she had heard those words from her friends lips. It seemed that every time she turned around, Connie and Guy had split up and then got back together. Julie didn't have to bother about watching 'Days of our Lives' and 'Young and the Restless', because the 'Guy and Connie Saga' always seemed so much more interesting.   
  
But Julie had to admit she was happy, as long as they were talking about the newest drama in the world of Connie and Guy, Connie would not be hounding her about her feelings for Dean. Her completely non-existent feelings for Dean.   
  
It had taken a while to make Connie believe that she did not have any feelings for Dean. No matter how many times Julie had repeated, over and over that there was nothing between the two of them but friendship, Connie would not believe her. It had taken Julie half the afternoon and most of dinner the night before to convince that her friendship with Dean, other then the occasional kiss due to the play, was purely platonic.   
  
But Connie was off her back now, and back into her own issues. "I decided that it was not his fault, what happened, I mean, I guess it was a little my fault…"  
  
"Connie, it was all your fault. You have got to learn to stop using Luis every time you want Guy to pay more attention to you." Julie replied, retrieving her advanced biology books and slamming her locker shut. "I actually feel sorry for Luis in this situation…Guy has some rage issues that he has to deal with when it comes to Mendoza…"  
  
"I know, I know, I am a horrible, horrible person" Connie sighed and the girls made their way to their science lab. Julie rolled her eyes again as they entered the room and made their way to their desk. Ken was already there, reading through his notes from their last lesson.   
  
"Hey Ken" they both greeted together. Ken nodded.   
  
"Get to start our assignments today" Ken told them distractedly. "I wonder how Mrs. Patterson is going to partner us off." and then he went back to his notes.   
  
The room began to fill, and soon the fourth seat at their lab station was filled by Adam. The four of them were the only Ducks that took advanced Biology, so they found it easier to stick together and help each other with it.   
  
"I will have no talking!" Mrs. Patterson announced as she entered the classroom. "When I call your name, move to sit beside your partner. These are he partners that you will complete your next assignment with. Miss Abagnale, and Mr Banks"  
  
The four ducks looked at each other. "Alphabetical" they sighed as Adam stood and pack his things, heading to the front lab station and sitting beside Lucy Abagnale. Usually, if they were allowed to pick their own partners, the four of them would split into groups. Each time they would slipt differently so that the teacher would not get suspicious.   
  
But this time, it was all alphabetical. As Mrs. Patterson continued with the pairings, Julie quickly counted ahead in the alphabet. Matt Goddard. She could not help but smile. Matt was the smartest kid in the class, he seemed to have a complete understanding of things as soon as he began learning about it. Plus the fact that he was a kind and honest guy, she knew that this assignment would be an easy one to complete.   
  
"Mr. Goddard, Miss Gaffney." Mrs Patterson announced, and on the other side of the room, Matt stood and made his way over to where she was sitting, taking the seat that had been vacated by Adam when he had moved to sit with his partner. Matt smiled at her, and Julie could not help but return the smile.   
  
When the class had been split, Julie turned to Matt, and together they began to discuss their up coming assignment. It seemed that since it was a major assignment, that would be worth 60 percent of their overall grade for this class, Patterson was letting them make their own decision as to what each pairing did their assignment on, and how they decided to deliver the assignment.   
  
"If it is ok with you" Matt began, turning to Julie, who was reading over the sheet that outlined their task. "I need a few more credits in Oral presentation. Would you have any objections to making our assessment as a presentation?"  
  
"No, that is fine with me" Julie smiled. Matt would be easy to work with, he was not pushy like other people that she had been paired up with in the past "I could use a few more credits in that category as well."  
  
"Do you have any ideas as to what we can talk about?" Matt asked. Julie had an idea, it was something that she had been fascinated by for a while now.   
  
"Genetic coding, and the whole controversy of making an elite baby would be interesting." She suggested to him. Max nodded.   
  
"Yes, I agree, it is a fascinating subject." He told her. Julie smiled and quickly wrote their idea on the overview sheet that they had to outline their preliminary research on. "Would you like to get together at some point, out side of class time, to work on this. Maybe we could meet at the library?"  
  
Julie was just about to agree, when she realised that her week was already rather full. "I would have to find a time to fit you in." Julie paused as Matt began to laugh, and she realised how that must have sounded. "I mean, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sunday afternoons I have hockey practice. Every second Friday night is a game. Tuesdays I have a Play rehearsal…"  
  
"You are in Meredith's English class?" Matt asked, and Julie noted he sounded a little jealous about it. Every one in the school wanted to be in Meredith's class "That is really cool, she is an extraordinary teacher. I heard that you get to act instead of writing 'A critical analysis of the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.'"  
  
"Yeah, we are acting. I am not sure how great we will be at it though…" Julie smiled. "I am Juliet"  
  
Matt's smile brightened. "Fair Juliet" he laughed. "You will be fine, I am sure of it. Who has the honour of playing your Romeo?"  
  
"A guy from my hockey team actually. Dean Portman" Julie informed him, and Matt's smile fell away for a second or so. But he plastered it back on his face. He smiled so brightly that it all seemed fake. "Do you know him?"  
  
"Sure. Enforcer. Jock. Sometimes forgets when he is on the ice" Matt told her. Julie looked at him, confused. Matt decided to elaborate. "What is it that hockey players say…He checked me into a bay of lockers once."  
  
"Oh" Julie looked at her books, suddenly ashamed that Dean would do something like that to Matt. Matt was a nice guy, and he didn't need to be picked on like a big mean jock like Dean, who was a fair amount taller, and almost twice Matt's body weight. The common theory, for the ducks, at least, was that Dean and Fulton were harmless, they were all bark no bite. It was Charlie's bite that you had to look out for. Julie had never known Dean or Fulton to be purposely malicious to someone, but for some reason, she had no troubles picturing Dean slamming Matt into the lockers.   
  
Julie felt the need to apologise to him for Dean's behaviour, but Matt cut her off before she had the chance. "So, what days would you have free to study and write this assignment?"  
  
"Thursdays, Saturdays and Sunday mornings." Julie replied, content with changing the subject if that was what Matt wanted.   
  
"Thursday is today." he observed, looking at his well set out study chat that he had tucked into the front of his binder. Julie could not help but grin and open her own binder, pulling out her study planner, set out almost identically to his. Hers was a lot more crowded then his. Matt's had a few extra curricular activities, French club, science club and Student council meetings, but these events did not meet as often as Julie's activities did. "I have Thursdays free, and Saturday mornings."  
  
"Why don't we meet today, just to get a rough outline of what we want to cover. Then on Saturday morning, we can hit the library and begin researching."  
  
"That sounds like a great plan to me." Matt replied. "But lets not meet on campus. Sometimes I just need to get away…"  
  
"I agree" Julie replied. As she spoke, the bell rang, releasing them from their class. Both of them stood, packed their things and began to leave the room. "Do you know Mickey's Dinner. It is about four blocks from here, and I can tell you honestly that they have the best ice cream sodas this side of the boarder"  
  
Matt smiled as he escorted her out of the classroom. "Yeah, I know the place. Lets meet there at about 4?"  
  
"Sure, I will see you then" Julie replied, smiling at him one last time before heading off to her first break.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Are you ok?" Dean whispered, sitting behind Julie in the auditorium. Julie looked over her shoulder at Dean, who looked honestly concerned. In her lap, Julie was working on her study plan, rewriting it to fit in time not only to learn her play lines but to fit in times to meet with Matt to work on their assignment.   
  
"I am fine" she assured her softly. On the stage in front of them was Luis and Charlie, or Tybalt and Benvolio, as well as a few others, blocked the sword fight at the beginning of the play.   
  
Dean frowned and looked at her study schedule. Everyone was given a blank study sheet like that at the beginning of the year, and more often then not, they all ended in the bin by the end of the first school day. Fulton had placed his on the back of their dorm room door, and on each day, he had allocated five minutes to 'pretend to study' and the rest of the time to 'slacking off'. So far, Dean and Fulton had followed their study regime religiously.   
  
But Julie had hers jam packed. Hockey practices, play rehearsals, library times, an allocated time each day to each of the subjects that she took. The girl would go out of her mind, she had no time for herself at all. She didn't even have a time allocated to sleep.   
  
"Are you sure?" he asked her again. Julie shrugged.   
  
"Just trying to find time to meet with my lab partner to work on this new assessment piece I have." She told him. "I guess I could meet him on Thursdays, but then I would have to rearrange all my other study times…"  
  
Dean sighed and rested his hands on her shoulders. Julie felt her eyes slide shut as he began to massage her shoulders softly, working out all of the kinks. Julie let her study schedule be forgotten as he leaned forward a little, getting better access to her aching and tense muscles.   
  
She could feel him close behind her, and the feel of his strong hands on her shoulders was heavenly. He seemed to be finding the spots where she was most tense, and working the muscles. Julie relaxed further into her seat, sliding down a little, but not enough to stop him from accessing her shoulders.   
  
"You are so tense Julie" Dean whispered, Julie bit her lip. His voice against her ear was doing amazing things to her. "You push yourself way to hard, girl. You need to take a break…"  
  
Julie protested weakly "I cant…"  
  
"Jules, you are on the road to a mental breakdown" he told her, concerned. "Get a hobby or something, relax and find a way to not think about work. As much as I adore you, I don't want to have to be the one to try and put you back together when you fall apart…"  
  
Julie bit her lip again. A mixture of his proximity, his concern and his strong hands on her were making her feel light headed. She relaxed into her chair again, allowing her head to fall back onto his shoulder. Dean's hands stilled, and then, slowly traced their way up her neck, massaging a point at the base of her skull.   
  
Julie moaned softly, just loud enough for Dean to hear her, and he smiled at his accomplishment. Before he knew what he was doing, he turned his head and kissed her softly.   
  
Like the kisses that they had shared so far, he had expected her to reciprocate, to respond. And as he always did when kissing her, he started off gently. Besides, as much as he felt he wanted to, he knew that this was not the time nor the place to engage Julie Gaffney in a make out session.   
  
But he had been surprised when she pushed him off harshly. Her hand moved to her lips as though his had burnt her. Dean sat back, wondering if an apology while he was this confused would be a good thing. Julie just looked at him, amazed, her hand still pressed to her lips. She looked as though she was caught between screaming, hitting him and crying.   
  
"Jules, I am…"  
  
"It is only a play Portman" she whispered, dropping her hand away from her lips. "Just a play." she repeated.   
  
Dean nodded dumbly as Julie stood, threw her things in her bag, and took off down the row of seats.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
For as long as he lived, Dean Portman would never understand women. Maybe that was the gimmick, they lured men into their traps and let them think that everything in the relationship, or friendship, or the, what ever it was that they had, was just perfect. Then, they would change, manipulate and kill. They would attack, leaving nothing but a shell of a man in its place.   
  
It wouldn't have mattered that much to him if it was not Julie. Julie meant something to him, something that he was still having issues explaining. But he had always enjoyed Julie's company, she was good to talk to, she was a good listener, she would help without having being asked, and she would not let anyone be anything less then what they really were. Julie Gaffney brought out the best in people, she definitely brought out the best in him. And there was the fact that she was beautiful, and a good kisser.   
  
And complicated.  
  
Dean wondered if a phone call to his mother was in order. Or at least a phone call to his father. He knew that either of them would give an interesting opinion on his theory. His mom would tell him that it was 'so sweet that her little boy was finally spending time with girls instead of endangering himself on the ice.' (Insert Dean Portman eye roll here, and the exclamation of "Mom, I am the biggest guy on the team, no one will hurt me!") His father would be different. He would congratulate Dean on finally finding a girl that could hold his attention for longer then a minute, and then the sacred advice of 'Get out while you still can Son, Women will do nothing but hurt you. They will play their little mind games till you are in the palm of their hands, right where they want you' (Insert another eye roll, and the muttering of "Thanks dad, great help, as usual")  
  
Nah, maybe consulting the parentals was not a good thing. Dean sighed, threw down his pen and collapsed onto his bed. He was not getting any work done anyway. Not while he was thinking about Julie.   
  
She had just gotten up and left, no explanation as to why she was so offended by his kiss. The first night that he had kissed her it had been a surprise to both of them, but she had gone along with it, she had kissed him back, she had amazed him. Knocked his socks off even. And the kiss in class had been amazing, but now, today, when the time had felt right, better then any other time, she had pushed him away like he was diseased.   
  
She had said that it was just a play, and that was probably the only explanation that he was going to get. With those five words, she had pretty much told him that she did not have feelings for him. 'It is only a play…'  
  
And she called him Portman. If that was not a huge step backwards, then Dean had no idea what would be. There were only three people in the world that he would tolerate calling him Dean, his mom, his little sister Katie and Julie. He knew others did it, others called him by his first name, but not as regularly as Julie did.   
  
His dorm door opened, and Fulton came in, throwing his bag to the floor. Dean rested his arm across his eyes to block out the light. This was also a classic 'Dean not happy' sign.  
  
"Just so you know, I am not happy with you" Dean announced as his roommate sat on his bed. Fulton looked at his friend, thinking through all the things that he had said and done over the least few days. Nothing that Portman would hate him for.   
  
"Do I get to know why you hate me?" He asked him. Portman moved his arm away from his face and sat up.   
  
"You had to do it, didn't you man? You had to use 'the L word' in the same sentence as her name!" Dean sighed. Fulton took a few seconds to comprehend what it was that Portman was on about, when he remembered what had happened when he had returned from kissing Jules a few nights before.   
  
"Umm, sorry" Fulton offered weakly.   
  
"You were right" Portman sighed. "There is a slight chance that possibly, maybe I could have feelings for Julie…"  
  
"'A slight chance that possibly, maybe?'" Fulton confirmed, smiling. Portman rolled his eyes. He could admit it now, or let himself be talked into a corner again.   
  
"Ok, so I like her. She is really special" He sighed.   
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what? Isn't my confession enough for you?" Dean asked, amazed. Fulton shrugged.   
  
"Just wanted to know if you were going to tell her?" Fulton replied, collapsing back onto his bed and picking up one of the many hockey publications from the floor. They were kept there because they were easy in reach. Messy yes, practical, of course, and that was all that was important.   
  
"I think I already have…" Dean admitted softly. Fulton dropped his magazine to his chest and stared at his friend like he had three heads.   
  
"What? What happened?"  
  
"I think I got rejected" Portman told his friend. Fulton could not help it, he burst out laughing. He never thought that he would live to see the day that a girl. A living, breathing, straight girl would turn down Dean Portman. "Thanks bro, real supportive."  
  
He got his laugher under control. "So what are you going to do?"  
  
"What can I do? Hold her hostage, make her date me. Kidnap her? Even if it would work, I would never do that to her. She is my friend…" Portman stopped and stood, clapping his hands and laughing insanely. Fulton would have been scared by his friends behaviour if he did not know Dean as well as he did. I seemed, Portman had just had an idea. A brilliant idea even. "Fulton, tell me I am a genius"  
  
"Let me hear the plan first" he replied, watching as his roommate stood and shoved his wallet in his back pocket.   
  
"No time for that. Come on!" Portman smiled to himself as he left the room. Curiosity got the better of him, like always and Fulton stood and followed him out. They made their way quickly across campus to the girls dorm, where Dean powered up the stairs two at a time,. He had knocked on Julie's bedroom door before Fulton had even gotten to the top of the stairs. Dean sure did seem excited, so it meant one of two things, there were high chances that this plan of his, what ever it was, would work out, or that Portman, as usual, had not thought through his options completely.   
  
As always, Fulton found himself standing back, wondering what the world Portman was planning on doing.   
  
The door opened, revealing Rebecca. She looked at Dean for a few minutes, and then smiled in recognition. "Hi, umm, Dean right?" she asked. Dean nodded, and Fulton moved little closer to the dorm room door. Just as Dean had been a few nights before, he was rather interested about what a girls dorm room looked like. Rebecca saw him and smiled softly. Fulton returned it.   
  
"What can I do for you boys?"  
  
"Jules. Is she here?" Dean asked. Rebecca shook her head.  
  
"No, she said something about meeting her lab partner. They have some big assignment that they have to talk about or something…" Rebecca informed them, she noted that Portman looked strangely disappointed. "Would you like me to tell her that you dropped by?"  
  
"No, thanks anyway Rebecca" Portman replied. Fulton gave the girl one last smile before he followed Portman out of the dorm building.  
  
"Can you tell me what the plan was now?"  
  
"I was going to kidnap her." At Fulton's shocked look, he continued. "She has been spending far to much time involved in schoolwork lately. I saw her schedule today, she has given herself no recreation time. I told her today she needs to relax, we…you and me, her concerned friends… were going to drag her to Mickey's for some one those legendary ice cream sodas"  
  
Fulton smiled. "Lets go anyway, you owe me details of this rejection"  
  
"Gossiping are we Fult? When did you turn into such a big girl?" Portman asked as they made their way across the campus to the gate. It was only a short walk to the diner, so there was no point in getting their blades. Besides, Fulton still had issues with skating sometimes. Most of the time it was safer for them to walk.   
  
"I turned into a girl when the world turned on its end" he announced calmly as they walked out of the gate. "Dean Portman in love with The Cat, this is just classic…"  
  
The rest of the walk was filled with the two of them joking as usual. Fulton realised, after his fifth dumb joke about Julie and him, that Dean really was taken with the goalie. Fulton also knew that he needed to get his friends mind of Julie, for his own sake as much as Dean's. It would be best for all concerned if Dean did not have the chance to dwell on the situation.  
  
When they reached the diner, Fulton opened the door, and then paused. Behind him, Dean took a look around, and then pulled in a deep breath.  
  
In one of the booths, was Julie, she was smiling, and she was sharing a soda with Matt Goddard.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Well, did you like? Review!  
  
Ok, quick random question, In D3, Ken always has a packed lunch that the varsity losers steal. Why does he have a packed lunch? He lives in the dorm. Who would pack his lunch for him? 


	7. Seeing through you

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 7  
  
Disclaimer - if I owned them, they would Love me, I don't so they don't.   
  
Notes - Ok, I hope that this chapter is alright. I wrote one draft and it sucked beyond belief, and this, I have to admit, is so much better, in my opinion anyway. It kind of explores Julie's feelings a bit. Anyway.   
  
Another thing, it is a long one, over 5000 words (not counting the notes at the start and end.) I am amazed because I don't even write that much on my old school assignments. But I just started typing and it all came out, so, I hope you like it.   
  
Oh, and a few Shout outs at the end of the chapter.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"You are right Julie, these are really good" Matt smiled as he scoped some of the ice cream out of the large glass that was in front of him. Julie sipped a little of the soda and grinned. She had not really felt like a full one for herself, so Matt had offered to share with her.   
  
"The team and I come here after every win. The owner closes the place to the public and we have a little party…it is like a tradition" Julie smiled. She looked over to the counter and waved at Casey Conway, Charlie's mother who still worked at the little dinner. She was the night manager, so she was the one who would close down the shop for them after the games. Casey grinned at the young girl and waved back.  
  
"That would be a good tradition to have." Matt mused. "I have traditions with my family, but they are no way as good as ice cream sodas."  
  
"All families have traditions. None of them are really fun…" Julie replied. Matt nodded and took a little more of the ice cream from the soda glass. "Family portraits are the worst…"  
  
"Oh, I know. Every year, my dad makes me and my sister dress up in the most uncomfortable clothes, and then we have to go and get our photograph taken" Matt smiled.   
  
"I know the feeling." Julie grinned. It was nice to have a conversation that didn't revolve completely around Hockey. As much as Julie loved the sport, it was sometimes nice to escape it. And she found herself pleasantly surprised that Matt and herself had quite a lot in common.   
  
They had spoken about family, current affairs, sport, politics and science. It was nice to know that Matt actually had opinions on things like the worlds war crisis' and the poor standing of the value of the dollar. Talking with the boys on the team about those sorts of things was tiring, because most of them, with the exception of Ken, had no idea what she was talking about and would change the subject back to something hockey as soon as possible.   
  
She knew for a fact that she would never have a political discussion with Dean.   
  
"Do you miss your family?" Matt asked suddenly. Julie smiled, thankful that she could start talking again and not have her mind go to some crazy place with thoughts of Portman. She had been trying to not think about it, otherwise it would drive her mad.   
  
"No, not at all. Well, my mum sometimes. But I have 5 brothers. It is nice to get away from them sometimes." Julie replied. Matt looked shocked.   
  
"Five brothers. And I thought that having one sister was enough!" Matt exclaimed. Julie laughed and took some more soda. Julie realised that Matt made her laugh, and it was good to laugh every now and then. It didn't surprise her that she really was enjoying spending time with him.   
  
Whether he knew it or not, Matt was helping her relax. What had it been that Dean had said at practice? That she needed to relax before she lead herself to a breakdown. Julie had to admit that it was true. Sometimes she did work herself to hard with hockey and school, but really, in a family her size, she had a lot to live up to. Julie wanted nothing more then to go back to Maine and have her father, mother and brothers be proud of her perfect season of Hockey and her straight A report card.   
  
Julie also had to admit that she knew what Dean was doing by suggesting that she relax. And it scared her.   
  
Dean had meant that he could help her relax, she was sure of it. She was also sure that as much as Dean was a great friend, the line that had been drawn between them could never be crossed. He had kissed her at the practice, and that had scared her. She enjoyed his kisses, and that was a problem. She didn't want to be like Connie and Guy, who were completely dependant on each other, who could not survive without kissing each other. She needed to be independent, to prove to herself that didn't need anyone else to live the life that she wanted to live. One of Julie's biggest fears was that if she let him into her life, they would become 'Dean and Julie', one person, just like 'Guy and Connie'.  
  
Dean was an intense guy. It was something that many people didn't see, or merely ignored, but there was nothing that he could do without being completely into it. True, he would joke around often, but it all had a level of seriousness to it that no one could really explain. He was serious and intense on the ice, and he was serious and intense with her. And that scared her to.   
  
Matt was nothing like Dean. Matt was intelligent (not that Dean wasn't, Julie argued with herself, it was just a different type of intelligence.), Matt was funny (Not that Dean wasn't, it was just that Matt seemed to be a lot less forward) Matt was interesting (but so was Dean, in his own way) They had things in common, other then just hockey. And Matt was a good looking guy. (he lacked the height and muscle mass of Dean, but he had really nice eyes and an amazing smile.)  
  
Julie wondered why she was even comparing them this way. Matt was a friend, and Dean was a friend also. Both were nothing more, and it was highly unlikely that either of them would ever be anything more.  
  
"Hey, are you ok?" Matt asked suddenly. Julie looked across the table at him, realising that she had been caught up in her thoughts and wondering what it was that they were even talking about. "I am sorry Julie, you were probably thinking about your home. I shouldn't have brought it up…"  
  
"No, it is fine, really" Julie began, smiling to put his mind at ease, but paused as something caught her attention. She looked over Matt shoulder and he continued to speak.   
  
The door to the diner opened, making the bell above it jingle. The two people who entered were laughing at something, but they both stopped and stared when they saw her. It was Dean and Fulton.   
  
Julie turned back to Matt, smiling again and joining the conversation about their assignment, which was what they had come to discuss in the first place. Matt had found a few articles on the subject already, and as they both read through them quickly, occasionally underlining something that they could add to their thesis, Julie could not help but glance at Dean and Fulton, who were sitting at the counter.   
  
Fulton sat talking to Charlie's mom, who he had known since he was just a little kid, while Dean sat, facing towards the door, watching them. His eyes gaze kept moving from Julie to Matt, and then back to Julie, as though he was wondering why she was out with him. Julie just sighed and turned back to the article.   
  
"Hey, aren't those guys on your team?" Matt asked, looking up from the article and over his shoulder to the boys at the counter. Julie glanced at them, and tried to look surprised, as though she had not seen them there.   
  
"Yeah, Portman and Fulton" She dismissed, shrugging. Matt looked over his shoulder at them again before turning back to the work in front of him. He had to admit that the bash brothers really intimidated him. The Ducks were a great group, Matt had had many classes with them over the years, but Fulton and Portman were both taller and bigger, and much more aggressive. He wouldn't say he was scared of them, more, nervous to be around them.   
  
When Julie looked up again a few minutes later, both of the boys had gotten their drinks. Fulton looked like he was trying to engage Portman in a conversation, who kept looking over his shoulder at her. Julie's gaze met his for and moment, and she looked away quickly.  
  
At the counter, Fulton realised that his friend was not even listening to a word that he had to say. The tension in the small restaurant was thick, thickest between where Dean was sitting and where Julie sat with Matt.   
  
He was just looking at her. Fulton sighed and shoved him. "Dude, leave her alone, she probably doesn't appreciate you leering at her."  
  
"I know" he sighed, taking one last look at Julie and then picking up her drink, crossing to the booth in the far corner, the one that would but the most distance between them and Julie. He sat with his back facing her, just so that he didn't have to look at them, as much as he wanted to. He concentrated on slowly drinking his drink so that he would not look over his shoulder at her. At them.  
  
"Think that they are here on a date?" Dean asked, losing his self control and glancing behind them again. Julie was now in deep conversation with Matt. Fulton rolled his eyes.   
  
Fulton had never seen his friend so obsessed with a girl before. Usually he would just shrug it off if a girl he liked was out in public with another boy. Dean was jealous, it was easy to see, and it was very surprising. Dean Portman was jealous of Matt Goddard. Dean looked over his shoulder at Julie one more time, and Fulton had to bite his tongue to stop himself from calling his friend pathetic.   
  
"No, I don't think so." Fulton sighed. "That Rebecca girl said that she was meeting with her lab partner. Matt is in her advanced class, right? They could just be here discussing the assignment…"  
  
"But she was smiling. Science doesn't make anyone smile!" Dean replied.   
  
Fulton smirked. "Could always go ask her"  
  
Fulton realised way to late what he had said, and before he had the chance to take it back, Dean was half way across the restaurant. He cursed, usually Dean knew the difference between his joking sarcastic voice and his usual voice, but today, he had either missed the tone, or decided to ignore it. When Dean was only a few steps away from Julie's table, Fulton stood to catch up with him. .   
  
"Hey Jules" Dean grinned, sliding into the booth beside her. Fulton managed to catch up with his friend, and tried to think of a way to drag him off before the rest of the day was spent with Julie the Cat showing her claws.   
  
"Hi Portman, Fulton. You know Matt don't you? My lab partner…" she introduced. Dean glanced across the table at him, and Fulton tried to physically drag his friend away from the table. Dean shrugged Fulton off and turned back to Julie.   
  
"Lab partner. So, what are we studying…" he asked, picking up a few articles.   
  
"The social and moral ramifications of scientifically creating a genetic master piece" Matt replied smiling to himself. Dean nodded, making it look like he understood what Matt had just said, even though he had absolutely no idea. "It is fascinating, really…"  
  
"Yeah, would have to be…" he replied. Fulton once again took his friend by the elbow and tried to pull him away from the table. Dean shrugged him off again, and turned to Julie. But when he looked at her, he realised that he had no idea what he wanted to say.   
  
Julie watched him in silence as he just sat at the table, looking at her. It was beginning to scare her. She hoped that he would not say or do anything to embarrass her or Matt. Behind him, Fulton was once again trying to politely drag his bash brother away from the table, but with very little success.   
  
"Is there something wrong Portman?" Julie asked him. Dean sighed, she had called him Portman again. He really wished that she would go back to calling him Dean. He also wished he had something to say to her. He had marched over to the table with the intentions of maybe humiliating Matt and kidnapping Julie (he wondered suddenly why all of his thoughts seemed to revolve around him kidnapping the poor girl).   
  
But that seemed like the wrong thing to do. So he sighed again and shrugged. "No, just wanted to come and say hello" he told her lamely.   
  
Julie didn't believe him at all. "Well, Hello" she replied. Dean nodded, and let himself be dragged away by Fulton. When they got back to their table, Portman took a large gulp of his drink, threw some money on the table and then left the diner.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I am pathetic"   
  
"Yeah, you are…" Fulton told his friend as they entered their dorm room. Fulton stood with his back pressed against the door, ready to run for it if his friend had fallen into one of his moods where everything in the room had to potential to be used as a weapon of mass destruction. He was kind of worried, however, when Dean did not pick up things and begin throwing, but instead collapsed face first onto the bed, burying his head in his pillow.   
  
"Apparently, It is impossible to smother yourself, so don't bother trying" Fulton told his friend. Portman said something, and Fulton realised that even though the words were distorted by the pillow, he understood it. Portman had just told him to go away.   
  
Fulton just shrugged, and exited the room into the hallway. Luis and Ken, who shared a room at the other end of the hall, were sitting in the narrow corridor. Their backs were each pressed against a wall, their legs stretched to the other wall so that people had to step over them in order to continue on their way.   
  
"Hey guys" Fulton smiled, sitting that way also. He was the tallest out of the three of them, and found that he had to fold his legs a little in order to get them to fit in the space. "Why are you out here in the hallway?"  
  
"We are paranoid!" Luis announced. Fulton looked confused.   
  
"Goldberg" Ken summed it up for him. It was amazing that it could all be explained in one word.   
  
"Russ, Ken and I tested the Liquid Laxative prank on him. Just to see how it would work if we really did go head with it. Turns out he realised it was us, and he and Averman already trapped Dwayne and Russ's room."  
  
"We are scared to go in there man" Ken added, nodding.   
  
"I don't blame you, I don't think I would want to go in there either" Fulton smiled, glancing suspiciously at the door. "So, did it work?"  
  
"Goldberg has been running to the bathroom all afternoon" Ken grinned. Fulton laughed. They were still going to go ahead with their prank against Old Man Walsh, they just had to find the right time and place to do so.   
  
The boys sat in the hall chatting about a few different things. Fulton couldn't help but tell the other that he had seen Julie out with Matt Goddard. (between himself, Adam, Charlie and Connie, they knew almost everything about every one on the team. It amazed him that they were all such gossips.) He did, however, leave out the fact that Portman was having not so platonic feelings for the goalie, and that he was now in their room, feeling sorry for himself.   
  
Almost an hour later, when Fulton was convincing the boys that whatever was on the other side of their bedroom door could not be as bad as they assumed, Julie came down the hall. She did not seem to see the boys, although she stepped over their legs, but merely continued on to Dean and Fulton's room.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
"What was what all about?" Dean asked. He had moved to his back and was staring up at the ceiling, occasionally taking the pillow and pressing it over his face so that he could tell himself once again that he was pathetic without having people outside the room hearing him and believing him to be some sort of mental case.   
  
Julie had burst into the room, yelling, slamming the door behind her. Dean sat up and watched her as she began to pace the room, obviously angry at him.   
  
"You! At the diner!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air and making a strange little growling noise at him. Dean watched her closely, she was a feisty one when she was angry.   
  
"Fult and I were thirsty" he informed her truthfully. It was, after all, what had happened. He had no intention of telling her that he was there only after not being able to find her and drag her along to spend time with him. That would just anger the situation more.   
  
"Bull, I don't believe that for a second." She exclaimed, looking at him suspiciously after pausing mid pace. "Why were you really there?"  
  
"Because Fulton and I were thirsty, that is the truth cat lady!" he told her. He knew she would never believe it. Almost everyone were suspicious of the bash brothers and their motives. It really did get annoying sometimes.   
  
"Right, so it had nothing to do with me being there with Matt." she asked him, eying him cautiously.   
  
"I didn't know that you would be there with Matt!" he exclaimed. "Honest!"  
  
"Sure!" Julie replied and began pacing again.   
  
"Julie, did you even tell anyone you were going somewhere with him?" Dean asked suddenly, making Julie pause again. She thought for a few seconds. It was true, she had only told people that she was meeting her lab partner, she didn't even tell Rebecca that her lab partner for this assignment was Matt. Damn, he was right, Julie hated it when Dean was right.   
  
"Well, no" she admitted softly.   
  
"Then how could I possibly know." he asked her, standing from where he had still been sitting on his bed. He stopped for a few seconds as a thought hit him. "And why do you think that I would care?"  
  
"So you are saying that you don't care?" Julie asked.   
  
"I never said that, I only asked why you would be so sure that I would care that you were out having soda with Matt Goddard" he replied. That's the way Dean, he congratulated himself, answer a question with a question. He looked away from her quickly, hoping that she would not be able to pick up on his diversionary tactic.   
  
Julie glanced at Dean, realising that he was hiding something from her. "But you do care?"  
  
"Why does that matter?" He shrugged casually, far to casually for her liking. He was trying to dodge the question, to get out of telling her the truth, she could tell.   
  
"Just answer the question" Julie sighed heavily. There was silence between them for a few seconds, and then Dean looked at her, meeting her eyes with his own intense gaze.   
  
"Fine, I care" Dean mumbled, hoping that now they could let the subject drop.   
  
"Ha, I knew it!" she laughed triumphantly.   
  
"Good for you Julie, you knew something that was pretty damn obvious" Dean congratulated sarcastically. He had been pretty obvious, he realised. Staring at her at the diner, approaching her with very little to say. He had been obvious, more obvious then he had ever been with any other girl, and now Dean though that maybe he was losing his edge.   
  
"Don't take that tone…"   
  
"Gods, you sound like my mother." Dean sighed, rubbing his face with his hand and collapsing back onto his bed. He was suddenly so over it, and all he wanted to do was to go to sleep. "Soon you will be using my full name…"  
  
"Why does it matter so much to you that I was there with Matt?" Julie asked after a few moments of silence. Dean looked up at her, shocked and amazed.   
  
"Like you don't know?" he questioned. Julie looked away from him nervously, only looking back when she realised something, she didn't really know. She had walked away before they could really talk about it. Julie of course assumed, but she was not sure.   
  
"I don't know, not really" she admitted softly.   
  
"Then you are pretty dense" Dean replied. He tried to take all the harshness out of his voice, he seriously didn't want to have to talk to her about this.   
  
"What?…I am not dense" Julie replied defensively.   
  
"Then what is this really about?" he asked her, challenging her to say it out loud while once again, answering her questions with questions of his own.   
  
"Its about…well, you kissed me today…" Julie began.   
  
"And why did I kiss you?"  
  
She knew the answer to that, obviously, but there was a difference between knowing the answer and admitting that there was something there between the two of them that neither of them could explain. "I don't know, because you do things like that."   
  
"I don't 'do things like that'" he told her, and she knew that it was true. "If you don't know the reason…"  
  
"I do know the reason…" Julie told him before he could go on. She had no idea how they had gotten into this conversation, but she knew that she was uncomfortable talking to him about this. If she could be anywhere else at that point in time, she knew that she would want to be there. "But as I told you today, it is just not going to happen…"  
  
Dean smirked, sensing her discomfort. "I don't seem to remember you telling me that"  
  
"Well, I am now Portman, it is not going to happen." Julie said firmly.   
  
"Ok then." Dean shrugged casually. He had to make it look like what she was saying was not effecting him. He knew that he could not let her have the power in this conversation. He had to make it look like it was not annoying the shit out of him that she didn't want him.   
  
Julie looked at him. "Just ok then?"  
  
She had expected him to have more to say about it all, to debate the issue with her. Dean was not the type of guy that took no for an answer, especially when it came to girls. He was not as bad as some, but he had been known to follow around a girl for weeks, asking for a date. But this time, he had shrugged as though it was nothing to him. As though she was nothing to him and he was giving up.   
  
"What! Make up your mind, if you don't want me, I am not going to argue with you about it…" Dean sighed.   
  
"Well…" She began. Yes Dean, her mind screamed, Argue with me about this. Why isn't this annoying the hell out of you that you cant get what you want? "Ok, that is good"  
  
"Wait, you want me to argue with you? You want this to be a big deal?" he asked her. Julie sighed.   
  
"No, I don't, in fact, it is no deal at all. I could care less" She told him firmly. Dean nodded.   
  
Dean ginned. "Then why are you here?"  
  
"I don't know" Julie replied softly.   
  
"Ok then" Dean nodded, smiling to himself. It was obvious that she was confused with what to think. She had gone into that room knowing exactly what she wanted to say to Dean, and he had succeeded in blowing her perfect little speech completely out of the water.   
  
"Ok then" Julie echoed, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from saying anything more. He had twisted everything she had wanted to say. Damnit, how did he do it!  
  
"So it is no big deal?" He asked casually, standing from the bed.   
  
"None at all" Julie told him, nodding. "And it is none of your business what I do in my spare time…"  
  
"Ok" he agreed.   
  
"And who I see" Julie added distractedly as an afterthought.   
  
"I never said it was any of my business who you see in your spare time." Dean defended himself. He watched her for a few seconds before asking. "But are you going to see Matt again?"  
  
"Would it matter?" Julie questioned.   
  
"Not really" Dean shrugged.   
  
"I don't believe you!" She told him in her accusing tone.   
  
"Jules, we are going around in circles here. I don't really care if you want to see more of Matt, I done care if you marry him and have a hundred children…" Dean informed her. Julie watched him as he spoke and realised that he was being sincere. It annoyed her that he was like this, she could have sworn that this whole thing was about his feelings for her. They had as much as said that it was only minutes before, but now it seemed that he was either lying to her about how he had felt, or he had gotten over her pretty quickly. "Wait, I do care about that. The children, I mean…"  
  
"Why?" Julie asked. She wondered why, out of all the things to two of them had said to each other that afternoon, the idea of her having children was the one that he cared about.   
  
"Honestly, I don't know" he laughed. Julie sighed. He could not be serious about anything!  
  
"Ok, so, discussion over?" she asked, glancing at him. He was standing over by the bed, and she was standing near Fulton's, there was only a little space between them, enough for them to stand comfortably and not have it be awkward.   
  
"Over and done." Dean replied, and gestured that he was washing his hands of the situation. Julie smiled. It had been a long and confusing afternoon, and now it seemed it was all wearing down.   
  
"Friends?" she held out her hand.   
  
"Yeah, sure, whatever" he stepped into her hesitantly and took her hand, shaking it quickly. Friends was like the kiss of death, and he hoped that his facial expression hid the fact that that was not what he wanted to be to Julie.   
  
Julie saw the look on his face and realised that he had just been playing it cool, it really did matter to him, all of it. She sighed "Dean, I am sorry, but you are just a…"   
  
"Don't say it!" Dean exclaimed.   
  
"Friend" she whispered.   
  
"You said it" he groaned.   
  
"Well, like I said earlier, it is just…"  
  
"A play, I understand" he finished for her.   
  
"Nothing you could say or do could change the fact that you are just a friend…" Julie told him weakly. She hoped that the would not realise that she didn't exactly mean it.   
  
"Nothing?" he asked her, stepping closer. Julie took a step back and glanced into his eyes. The intense look was back, and she knew what he was going to do next. Julie was caught between running for her life, and staying there and letting what was to happen, happen.   
  
"Nothing" she whispered weakly, taking another step back as he took another step closer. She was backed into the corner of the room, into the bare piece of wall beside the door. Her intention was to open the door and slip out as soon as she could, slamming it after her so that he had no way of following her, but he had boxed her in, his hands on the wall, stopping her from moving.   
  
Julie looked at her feet. He was so close to her that she could hear him breathing. She didn't want him there, she didn't want him approaching her like this when she was so confused. Her heart was betraying her mind, and she hated herself for it.   
  
Dean liked her, and she didn't want to like him back. But Julie did, no matter how hard she fought against it. She wanted to push away, and she had done so well so far. Now all she needed to do was to push him away from her now, to stop him from kissing her. Julie needed self restraint, she needed to stay away from him.   
  
Her hands found Dean's shoulders to push him away just as his lips found hers and he engaged he in a deep and passionate kiss. Her treacherous hands tightened on him, pulling his closer and she moaned as his kisses had an immediate effect on her body. She hated herself for reacting like she was, for kissing her back like this, but she just couldn't stop herself. He had a way of intoxicating her.  
  
Dean smiled a little as her moan reached his ears. Yeah Julie, he sighed, you don't want to push me away at all. She saw right though her. She was so obvious. He had managed to use every trick he knew to get her to this point. Being Fulton's friend for so long had taught him enough about talking into corners. And he had, quite literally, talked Julie into a corner.   
  
Her arms wound around his neck as Dean crushed her into the wall behind her. His lips, as always, were heaven, his hands tracing over her hips. How she had gotten to that point, she didn't know, and honestly, Julie didn't care. All she knew was that she had promised herself earlier that day that she would never again let Dean Portman touch her romantically unless it had something to do with the play. Hell, she needed help with her self control.   
  
Dean took a step back, breaking the kiss, and Julie turned bright red when she whimpered sadly. Whimpered. She actually whimpered. Julie wanted to slap herself, this was all Dean's fault. She had never felt so powerless in her life, and she had never been this confused.   
  
Julie knew what she wanted, and yet, all it had taken was the idea of his lips on hers to make her weak. Ignoring Dean and her feelings until one, or both went away was going to be harder then she thought  
  
"Nothing?" he challenged  
  
"N…Nothing" Julie stuttered.  
  
She reached for the doorknob and quickly opened it, practically running from the room. Dean leant against the wall that seconds before he had had her pressed against, and then slid to sit against it, smiling brightly. He had seen though her act, she was scared. He had know idea of what she felt for him, but what ever it was that Julie did feel, it scared the living daylights out of her, and that was why she was pushing him away.   
  
Suddenly the door opened, and Fulton entered. He looked around the room, and then realised that his roommate was sitting by his feet. He looked down at him questioningly.   
  
"Oh, she wants me, she wants me bad." Dean grinned. "And I am not giving her up without a fight!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Shout outs.   
  
Meggiebaby81 - it could be possible that Ken has a dorm fridge and he packs his own lunch, but I would so not be bothered. That would mean that he has to go shopping to buy things for lunch, and then make his own lunch and all. But then again, he is Ken. He could do whatever he wanted to.   
  
DuckHockey00214496 - Two things, first off, your review made me laugh. After reading it, I just got this distinct image of Ken getting up, opening his closet, having this hand reach out, pass him a bag, and then Ken closing the door. Hey, it is possible to have his mum living in the closet. And two, when going to type your name, I was like "crap, what is with the numbers!" then I realised. Germaine, Portman, Reed and Conway. Cool. I named myself after my favourites as well.   
  
BeautyQueen321- You asked something about Goldberg saying he was from Philly. That is technically true. In the first movie, Goldberg says that he is only going to be there for one season because his family is moving back to Philly. But then, his family doesn't end up moving. So the real question should be why is he in D2 at all. Only joking, he may not be one of my favourites, but Goldie is cool.   
  
And thanks to all else who reviewed. 


	8. The game

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 8  
  
Disclaimer - The Ducks don't belong to me. Matt is still mine, and I claim Courtney.   
  
Notes - Ok, I have to admit, that this chap is kind of a filler. But I love it. Usually if I type and the chapter is pointless, I trash it, but I wrote this chapter, and I loved it. I think it is because of the amount of Luis and Ken, and the twist of stereotypes that I played around with. If you didn't realise by my name, I am a huge fan of Luis and Ken, and it felt weird that I was neglecting them in this fic.   
  
So please, review and tell me what you think about it.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Julie"  
  
Julie turned at the sound of her name. She was heading from her dorm room to the cafeteria to get something for breakfast. After sleeping badly the night before, Julie had managed to sleep through her alarm, and Rebecca had not woken her before leaving, so unfortunately, she would only have enough time to grab something small before she had to her first period class of Math. Julie was almost about to get angry at the person that had postponed her from food, until she recognised who it was that had stopped her. Matt.  
  
"Oh, hi Matt. Listen, I am really sorry that I had to leave so quickly from the diner yesterday, I just remembered that I had to help Rebecca with her Math homework. I am sorry…" That was not really true. After the bash brothers had left the diner she had not been able to concentrate on the work that they were doing. Not that she had been concentrating on at all really. But after they had left, she had waited a small amount of time, to make it seem like she was not following them, and then she made up some excuse about helping out Rebecca.   
  
"It is ok, I understand. Besides, we got a few things covered." Matt replied. He smiled at her. "I was just wondering if there was anyway that I could help you lighten your work load, anything that I could do for you or…"  
  
"Oh, that is really sweet of you, but isn't it like…cheating?" Julie replied. He was the first person to offer to help her, and she had to admit that she was a little surprised.   
  
"No, I don't think so." He smiled, assuring her. Julie could not help but return the smile. "How about I start on the research for the biology assignment, that way we can just jump straight into the rest of it tomorrow."  
  
"Well, if it is not to much trouble for you." Julie replied. She had to admit that that would manage to help lighten her heavy load. But there was no one that Julie could blame for that, it was her own fault for getting herself involved in everything. Matt was willing to help, but that did not stop Julie from feeling guilty. Just because she was busy, it shouldn't mean that he do any more then his share of the work.  
  
"None at all"  
  
"Well sure, that would help. I am just so busy at the moment, who would have thought that it would be so tough to be a teenager…" Julie sighed.   
  
"I know, where is the instruction manual" Matt joked back. Julie smiled and walked through the door to the cafeteria that Matt was holding open for her. Together they moved to the cafeteria line and joined the end of it. As soon as they did, her eyes searched for Dean, and when she saw that he was sitting at the end of the ducks table, she looked away quickly so that he would not catch her staring at him.   
  
"So, you start the research, and I will finish it tomorrow at the library, then we can start structuring the assignment." Julie confirmed when they got the front of the line and prepared to part ways. Matt nodded to himself, and looked as though he was preparing himself to say something. She waited a few seconds, before flashing him another smile, and then starting away.   
  
"Julie." he called out to her suddenly. Julie stopped and turned back to him.   
  
"Yeah Matt"  
  
"Well, I was wondering…are you doing anything tonight?" matt asked softly. Julie felt a slight blush rise in her cheeks. Was Matt asking her out on a date? That was really sweet of him, but she was glad that she couldn't go. Julie pointed to the large poster that was on the back of the door advertising that nights game.   
  
"Eden Hall Mighty Ducks vs. Blake Bears"  
  
"Of course" He smiled to himself. "How stupid of me"  
  
Julie frowned. Did Matt just call himself stupid? Just for that, she wished that she was free that night so that she could go out with him somewhere. "Are you going to come along to the game?"  
  
"I don't know, hockey is not really my thing" he explained quickly. Julie thought that she saw him look quickly at the table where the rest of the ducks were sitting, but she could not be sure.   
  
She hit his shoulder lightly. "Come on, it will be fun. Show some school spirit. Who knows, maybe you will enjoy it"  
  
"Yeah, I might" He sighed. He then looked at Julie and realised that it wouldn't really be that bad to go and cheer Julie on "Ok Jules, I will come."  
  
"Good" Julie smiled, and then looked over her shoulder at her table. She needed to make a escape soon, otherwise she would never have time to eat her apple before she had to go to class. "Well, I will be the one in front of the net."  
  
"Ok" He chuckled. "If I don't see you before then, good luck." He took a breath, and then, reached out and pulled Julie into a quick hug. She smiled and hugged him back just as quick, and watched as he disappeared to sit with his friends.   
  
"Thanks Matt" She called after him.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Luis Mendoza sat in a spare seat at the Duck's table across from Portman and Fulton. Fulton looked as though he was unsuccessfully having a conversation with the other bash brother, who was staring at something on the other side of the room. "I know that face"  
  
"Yeah, I would suggest that you do, considering he has had it since we met him" Fulton replied. He had given up on trying to talk to Dean about which of the Bears they were going to slaughter on the ice that night (a ritual of breakfast on game day) when he looked across the room and saw what Dean had seen. Julie had just hugged Matt.  
  
"No, I mean, the look on his face." Luis corrected. Fulton looked at his friend. The look on his face was somewhere between anger and pain. Nothing really unusual there.  
  
"What look?" he asked, shrugging.   
  
"He just got dumped." Luis announced, indicating to Portman casually with his spoon. Dean finally snapped out of his trance and glared at the boy who was now digging into his cereal.   
  
"I didn't get dumped!" He replied. Luis looked up at him suspiciously.  
  
"Rejected?" he asked. He usually had a gift for this type of thing. There was no way that he could be wrong about the look on the enforcers face.  
  
"I didn't get rejected!" Dean growled. Sometimes Luis got on his nerves. It didn't happen that often, because honestly, he was a cool guy to hang out with, every one on the team was, but when some one started sticking their nose into his business, that was when he got defensive.   
  
"Brushed off?" Luis asked, taking one last shot at being correct about his hunch.   
  
"Would you shut up Mendoza, this is none of your business." Portman growled at him. Luis sat back a little.  
  
"Dumped" he confirmed softly. Portman stood, ready to launch across the table at him. But at his side, Fulton grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. Dean just leant across the table.   
  
"I was not…" he began.   
  
"Its ok man, I know the signs." Luis replied, turning back to his cereal. Dean sat back in his chair and ignored the other boy.   
  
"How?" Fulton asked. The team enjoyed any opportunity to deflate the ego of the great Mendoza when it came to girls and dating.   
  
Luis looked around him, making sure that no one was watching him. He lent forward like he was sharing the worlds greatest secret, and Dean and Fulton did so to, just to humour him. "Well… It may seem unbelievable… I have been dumped before" Fulton smirked.   
  
"You, I don't believe it" A voice said from behind them. Luis jumped and the Bash Brothers laughed as Ken put his tray on the table and took the seat beside Luis. He fixed his face in mock shock and turned to Luis. "Who would have thought? Casanova Mendoza has been dumped before. That makes him no less then you or me…"  
  
"Shh, I am telling you this in confidence, no one else is to know, ok. But yeah, I have been dumped before, rejected a few times as well." He replied. Then he turned to Portman. "It hurts huh?"  
  
"Would you shut up, I have not been dumped or rejected. In fact, it is all blissfully clear to me now. I know exactly what I have to do." Dean announced, turning back to his food.   
  
"And what is that?" Luis smirked.   
  
Portman stopped, realising that it was not the best idea to announce to the others that he had a plan when really he had no idea what he was going to do yet. "Well, I haven't thought that far a head."  
  
"You need a plan, a fool proof plan." Ken told him. Fulton, Dean and Luis stared at their smaller friend. Out of all the people on the team, Ken was not the one that people would think to go to for advice on girls. He seemed to be one of those people who had no problem being friends with a girl, but every problem in the world moving on to a romantic relationship.   
  
"How would you know Wu, you have never had a girl in your life" Luis smirked. Fulton winced, it was the truth, but it was a harsh way to say it. But Ken just smiled, and shrugged.   
  
"Oh really" he asked before standing quickly and stepping into the gap between the cafeteria tables. A few cheerleaders were making their way to the door, and when they all left, Ken had been joined where he was standing. Luis choked on his breakfast as Ken wrapped an arm around the blonde cheerleader's waist and pulled her in for a kiss.   
  
"Hi Ken!" the cheerleader grinned at him, hugging him. Ken looked over her shoulder at the Bash Brothers raised eyebrows, and Luis, who was rubbing his eyes.   
  
"Hi Courtney" He smiled and then whispered something in her ear. The cheerleader giggled and slapped him on the shoulder.   
  
"You are so bad Ken" he giggled, and if it was possible, the Bash Brothers raised their eyebrows higher. Any higher and they would disappear into their hairline.   
  
"I have to go, But I will be cheering for you at the game" Courtney assured him. Ken smiled and kissed her again. "Score a goal for me?"  
  
"I always do, don't I Courtney?" with one last kiss, the cheerleader was gone, but not until after Ken managed to slap her lightly on the rear end. Courtney smiled over her shoulder at him.   
  
"Whoa, K-Man, what was that." Fulton asked, amazed.   
  
"That…" Ken grinned at the shocked look on the faces of all three of his friends. He casually pulled out his chair and sat down. All four of them watched as she joined her cheerleader friends and then looked back at Ken. "Was my Courtney…"  
  
"So, as you were saying, Ken has never had a girl before…" Portman asked, he had gotten over the surprise, and now he was ready to annoy the crap out of Luis. Because really, that is what he did best.   
  
"Shut up Portman." Luis groaned, taking one last look at the cheerleaders retreating backs before turning back to the other boys. "Treat me like that and I wont help you get your girl"  
  
"I am thinking the Wu Man's advice would be the one to trust in this situation." Fulton retorted, and Ken laughed. Ken shrugged and turned back to his abandoned breakfast.   
  
"I don't even know why we are having this conversation, I have not been dumped, and I am completely capable of getting a girl by myself, thank you very much." Dean said finally.   
  
"Then why aren't you with the girl now?" Luis asked sceptically.   
  
"Because I am trapped in my own personal hell where Mendoza wont shut up." Dean groaned to himself. Fulton was being awfully quiet, which was no that odd really, but it was annoying him that his friend was not jumping in and helping him out with this.   
  
"Listen, do you want my help or not." Luis asked.   
  
"I think he decided long ago that he doesn't" Fulton said. Dean smiled. Finally he had some support again.   
  
"Portman, just listen to him. He knows what he is talking about. He helped me get Courtney…" Ken began. All three of the other boys stared at him. Was that true?  
  
"Fine" Dean sighed, dropping his fork to his plate and pushing it away from him, ready to listen to Luis "Bring on the pearls of wisdom"  
  
And for the next five minutes, the great Casanova Mendoza explained to the other three what the girls wanted, and the best way to give it to them. At some points of the little lecture, all three of them had to cover their mouths to stop themselves from laughing out loud at their friend who obviously had no clue.   
  
"There, and now, you know the secret" Luis concluded. Dean, Fulton and Ken were all struck dumb by their friends speech.   
  
"We sure do" Fulton said softly. And then Dean and Ken burst out laughing. They got control of themselves quickly, and plastered a serious look on their face. Luis didn't realise that they were laughing at him, and merely gathered his things and stood.   
  
"I have to get going, I want to stop by my locker before I have to go to class. I will see you guys later" the other three watched him leave before they burst into hysterical laughter again.   
  
"Kenny" Fulton took a deep breath to calm himself, and then continued on with what he wished to say to his friend. "Please tell be that you did not follow his advice to get Courtney"  
  
"I listened to him." Ken admitted, then smiled. "And then did the exact opposite."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"And that is Ken Wu's third goal of the night, bringing the score to 0-7 in the ducks favour…"  
  
Fulton and Portman stood to the side cheering as Ken lifted his helmet and looked off to the crowds that were chanting his name. He located Courtney with her other cheer leading friends, and winked at her. The cheerleaders all squealed as Courtney blushed.   
  
"Now he is just showing off to that girlfriend of his" Portman smiled, still cheering for his friend. At his side, Fulton laughed.   
  
They were in the third period of the game, and so far they had a very nice lead over the Blake Bears, who seemed to be their main rivals in the league. Their games against the Bears were usually very close, but this seemed to be over already. Adam had scored three points, Ken three and Charlie one.   
  
There were only five more minutes in the game, but it was not a time to slack off.   
  
"Boys, back to the face off" the ref blew his whistle, shaking Dean and Fulton out of their thoughts. The two began skating back to middle ice, but Fulton stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Dude, get me the puck" he told his friend. Fulton stared at him as though he had lost his mind.   
  
Fulton slapped his friend in the chest, then slapped himself "Enforcers" he said, as though he was explaining it to a four year old. "Enforcers check people into the boards, we leave the puck to the scorers"  
  
"You take the puck sometimes" Dean accused.   
  
"I have the slapshot." Fulton replied. "Dean, I have never even seen you handle the puck before"  
  
"Doesn't mean I cant" Portman replied. Fulton sighed, and then looked back to the group, who looked as though they were waiting for them. Truthfully, they were waiting for them.   
  
"Oh no, you are not going to do what I think you are going to do?" he asked. "Listen, just because Ken scored and dedicated the goal to a girl in the stands doesn't mean that you can score one and dedicate it to Jules."  
  
"Just get me the puck" Portman told him, smacking his friend in the shoulder. Fulton sighed and made his way over to the others.   
  
They had five minutes, and there was no way that the Bears would catch up to them, so really, what was the harm in trying to get the puck to Dean. Fulton groaned, he could not believe that he was even considering it. But he could tell by the look in his friends eyes, that Portman was going to do what ever he could to get the puck, even if he had to hurt a few of the Ducks to do so.   
  
Dwayne got the puck, and when Fulton called for it, he shot it straight across the ice to him. Fulton sighed, looked back across the ice to Dean, who thankfully, had no one on him, and then shot the puck to him. On the bench, they could hear Orion screaming "What do you think you are doing Fulton!"  
  
But it was done now. Dean had the puck, and Fulton crossed the ice to check the other teams enforcers that seemed to be doing their job and dogging Portman. Dean was handling himself well as he approached the goal. He stopped, drew back, and shot.   
  
Every one held their breath as the puck flew through the air, hit the post, and bounced into the goal, missing the Bears Goalie's outstretched hand. The cheers that followed were deafening, and Fulton quickly approached his bash brother.   
  
"…And the ducks score their 8th goal of the night. Amazingly enough, Dean Portman, enforcer does have some skill with the puck…"  
  
Dean got to his feet and bashed his chest against Fulton's in celebration as they usually did. The, he raised his helmet off of his face, and smiled at Julie, who was in their goal. She looked away quickly, and he smiled.   
  
The game ended soon after, 8-0. When the finally buzzer sounded, it seemed that every duck made their way to Dean to congratulate him. All but one, he realised. Julie was not it the group that surrounded him. He wasn't sure what he expected her to do, but he at least expected her to come and congratulate him on the goal.   
  
But Julie only skated to the sidelines and took her helmet off. She would go out and celebrate with them in a minute, but first, she wanted to take some of the padding off so that she could actually hug her team. It was awkward to hug people when you were trapped under a thousand pounds of goalie gear. As Julie was taking off her gloves, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and smiled when she saw who it was.   
  
"Matt, you made it"  
  
"Great game Gaffney" he grinned. "You were right, I did have fun…"  
  
"That is good" Julie told her friend. Then she looked out over the ice to her team, who were still cheering, before turning back to Matt.   
  
"Go, go celebrate" Matt told her. Julie looked out onto the ice and saw that Dean was staring at her, even though the others around him were cheering. Julie turned back to Matt, and kissed him on the cheek softly.   
  
"Thanks for coming" she whispered, and then joined the others on the ice. Dean sighed, shook his head, and accepted the congratulatory hug that Connie was trying to give him.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
So what did you think? Tell me now. One more and I hit the 50 review mark. 


	9. Friendly Reconnaissance

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 9   
  
Disclaimer - Not mine.  
  
Notes - I hope you like this chapter, i tried to update it yesterday, but couldn't, so here it is today. As always, review.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
The door swung open, Meredith entered, and made her way quickly to the front of the auditorium. When she made it to the front, she pulled herself up onto the stage sitting on the edge, facing the class that all sat in the auditorium seats.   
  
"Great game the other night guys" Meredith grinned, looking out over her class that was made up almost solely of Ducks. "I particularly loved the coronary Fulton gave Orion with the pass to Portman."  
  
"You were there" Connie asked, surprised.   
  
"Of course I was there." Meredith exclaimed in fake outrage. "When 99 percent of my class is on the same team, of course I am going to go along and show my support. Just because I don't understand what the hell you are doing out there doesn't mean I cant enjoy watching you guys."  
  
"You don't understand hockey?" Adam asked, amazed. It could have been that he had been playing and watching hockey since he was two years old, but it amazed him that there were people out there who didn't understand or enjoy hockey.   
  
"You lot don't understand acting or Shakespeare, so we can call it even." Meredith replied carefully, laughing at the young boys amazement. "Now I want to move onto more blocking, and also give the rest of you jobs, no one is going to be sitting around in lessons anymore…"  
  
Meredith launched herself into a little speech about how those who would not be working on the blocking of scenes would be designing sets, props, costumes, advertisements and programmes.   
  
When it was obvious that Meredith was in her own little world of explaining, Russ leant over to Ken, who was sitting by his side, and said "Guys, we take revenge on Old Man Walsh tomorrow. Pass it on."   
  
Ken smiled and moved so he could tell Goldberg. "Hey, Russ told me to tell you that the plan against Walsh is going ahead tomorrow."   
  
"Ken says that Russ told him to tell me that tomorrow we are going to make Old man Walsh pay. Pass it on down the line" Goldberg told Averman, who nodded and went to pass on the message.   
  
"Hey man, tell the others that the plan against Walsh goes ahead tomorrow." Averman told Dwayne, and then, remembering something he had seen on the Simpsons the night before, added. "Purple monkey dishwasher."   
  
"Man, Russ just called Old man Walsh a purple monkey dishwasher." Dwayne told Guy.   
  
"A what?" Guy looked at Dwayne like he was insane. When Dwayne offered no explanation, Guy shrugged and turned to Luis "Russ called Old Man Walsh purple donkey dish water."   
  
"Russ called Old Man Walsh a purple ass." Luis mumbled to Charlie quickly. Charlie looked at him in surprise.   
  
"No way" He muttered, and then passed the message on to Adam, who was sitting on his other side. "Dude, Russ called Old Man Walsh an Asshole "   
  
Adam laughed and lent over to Fulton. "Hey Fulton, guess what. Russ just called Old Man Walsh an asshole to his face."   
  
"Well Done Russ" Fulton smiled, looking down the line at Russ, who was pretending to listen to what Meredith was saying about painting backgrounds. When he could not get his friends attention for some sort of celebratory gesture, Fulton shrugged and turned to Portman. "Portman, Russ just called everyone's favourite teacher an asshole. To his face no less."   
  
"Very cool, I knew we could count on Russ" Portman, not surprisingly, looked the most excited about it. He to tried to look to the other end of the row, but when he could not catch Russ's attention, and turned back to his friend. "What happened…"  
  
"I don't know. Let me find out" Fulton began, turning back to Adam. "Adam, what happened?"  
  
"I don't know, give me a second" He shrugged, and then turned to Charlie. "Charlie, find out what happened…"  
  
"Boys, if you are quite done whispering over there, I would very much like to get on with this." Meredith told them, and Portman, Fulton, Charlie and Adam all sunk a little lower in their seats. A few of the other ducks smiled at their friends and they all turned back to Meredith "Right, I want the Capulet and the Montague boys up here to rehearse Mercutio's death scene. Every one else, I want you to split into little groups and start working on stage settings. Pick a scene and write down all the props we will need. "   
  
Fulton tried to listen to Meredith, but realised that his attention was once again drawn to Portman, who was staring across the room like a love sick puppy dog. He groaned and elbowed his friend in the side. "Portman, stop it, you are staring at her again"  
  
"But, look at her, there is something wrong with her" Portman told him without even looking away from Julie. The others were all standing and either making their way to the stage or splitting into groups to prepare the prop lists.   
  
"Yeah, she probably knows that you are staring at her." Fulton told him, standing. Portman stood also, and behind Fulton, Charlie and Adam stood as well. "You are probably making her mad"  
  
"No, it is not that…" he mused.   
  
"It is that" Fulton rolled his eyes. He tried to push past Portman, but he wouldn't move.   
  
"It cant be that, she hasn't looked at me all day" Portman told him.   
  
"Then maybe your face is the problem" Adam said irritably from behind the two bash brothers. He was suppose to go join a group while the others had their on stage fight, but he could not move, because he was being boxed in by the bashes and Charlie.   
  
"Stay out of this Banksie" Portman threw over Fulton's shoulder.   
  
"Yes sir" Adam saluted him mockingly. He was feeling brave, because to get to him, Dean would have to go through Fulton. Fulton would not let anything happen to him…would he?  
  
"There is definitely something wrong with her." Portman sighed, looking at Julie, who was talking about something with Connie and a few other girls in the class.   
  
"Maybe she is having a bad day" Fulton suggested. Portman nodded.   
  
"Fulton, go ask her what is wrong" he replied, hitting his friend on the shoulder. Fulton looked at his bash brother as though he was insane.   
  
"What? Why? You are the one who wants to know" Fulton replied logically.   
  
"But I cant go over there and ask her" he replied.   
  
"Why?" Charlie asked from the back of the group. Portman looked over his shoulder at the captain, as though he was only just realising that he was standing there.   
  
"Because she wont answer me. She is so intent in telling herself that she hates me." he replied.   
  
"What makes you think that she will tell me?" Fulton asked his, curious.   
  
"Because you are Fulton." Dean told him, as though simply stating his name would be enough to make him understand his reasoning. "Everybody loves Fulton"  
  
Behind him, Adam smirked. "Its true, you are a very loveable guy…"  
  
"Didn't I tell you to stay out of this Banksie?" Portman asked.   
  
"Sorry, I will remember that in the future" Adam grinned to himself and sat in his seat again. If he was going to be stuck he might as well get comfortable.   
  
"So you want me to go over there and ask her what is bothering her?" Fulton asked him as though he was trying to confirm the plan.   
  
"Well, yeah" Portman nodded.   
  
"Why don't you send Adam, she would be less suspicious of Banksie since they talk a lot more." Fulton asked, indicating with his head in Adam's general direction. Portman took one look at Adam and then turned back to Fulton.  
  
"Because I asked you to do it" he replied calmly.   
  
"So, under the same logic, if I asked you to leave your shoes outside, you would?" Fulton asked his friend.   
  
"I don't need to, my shoes don't smell…" Portman began.   
  
"Yes they do, I can smell them from Edina." Adam mumbled under his breath. Portman reached out to hit him, Fulton stepped in the way. Adam made a mental note to thank him later for that.   
  
"Last warning Banks." Portman growled.   
  
"Right, sorry" Adam nodded. Adam looked around for a few seconds before standing, and jumping over the seat in front of him, walking down that row, and making his way to join Dwayne and Guy who were working on some scene. He wondered why had had not thought of that earlier.   
  
Portman, Fulton and Charlie watched as Adam joined the group before turning back to the conversation that they were having. "Ok, So if you go over there and do a little bit of research for me, then I promise I will leave my shoes outside."  
  
"Wont that stink up the hallway?" Charlie asked. Portman glared at him.   
  
"Do I look like I care about a stinking hallway." He asked. Charlie shrugged. It was true, it didn't look like Dean cared either way. "Fine, I will leave them outside, as in, I will throw them out the window every night. Happy?"  
  
"No, but if I was happy, the Fulton you all 'love' would cease to be" Fulton sighed. He glanced at Julie quickly, then turned back to his friend. "What am I suppose to say to her?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
"Haven't thought that far ahead?" Fulton mocked.   
  
"Shut up" Dean growled. "Just ask her what she did on the weekend. And mention the game, and my goal, if you can…"  
  
"Ok, so pry into her personal life, and then talk you up a little?" Fulton asked.   
  
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Portman confirmed. "So, what are you waiting for?"  
  
"Well, I cant go now" Fulton replied.   
  
"Why not?" Portman asked him. Fulton indicated to the stage, that had a few of their friends on it. Their friends, and Meredith, who was obviously waiting for them.   
  
"Mercutio's death scene. I am Mercutio, bit hard to practice without me." Fulton replied, finally pushing his friend out of the row. "Don't worry, I will talk to her at Break"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
After class, with a little not so gentle pushing from Portman, Fulton covertly followed Julie out of the auditorium and across the campus to the library. He watched her enter, and waited a little while before following her in. He searched for her carefully, trying not to make it to obvious that he was looking for her. He swung by the fiction section first, picking up copy of his favourite book and then made his way to the reference section of the library. (Hey, he was there, so he might as well kill two birds with one stone)  
  
Plus, the book was the perfect cover. On the other side of the reference section were the comfortable chairs. He would just make his way over to them, and if he accidentally (well, maybe not accidentally) bumped into Julie on the way there, then that would just be a lucky coincidence.   
  
He saw her in the Scientific journals section, smiled, and congratulated himself on a job well done. He started down the gap between the bookshelfs, bumping Julie's shoulder as he passed and causing her to drop the books. Her dropping the books was an accident. The collision was not so much.   
  
"Sorry" he began. "Oh, hey Julie"  
  
"Hi Fulton" She had planned to be angry at the person who had bumped her, and made her drop the stack magazines that she had been searching through. But she knew from past experience that it was hard to be angry at one of the Ducks. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You sound like you would never expect to see me in a library" he asked, smiling.   
  
"Well, I don't, not really…" she mumbled distracted as she knelt down to pick up the books. Fulton knelt down beside her, put his book on the floor and helped her gather the magazines.   
  
"Thanks a lot" he grinned at her in fake offence.   
  
"Sorry, but it is true" Julie laughed, and Fulton could not help but smile as well. Julie put all the books back on the shelf, and then saw the thick paperback that he was holding. "What are you reading"   
  
Fulton held the book out to her. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.   
  
"It is a good book, have you read it?" Fulton asked. Julie shook her head.   
  
"You have read it before?" Julie asked, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice.   
  
"I can read you know" Fulton told her, smiling brightly. Julie looked mortified.   
  
"I know, Fult, I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't. It just came out wrong." She explained. "You enjoy it?"  
  
"Yeah. The first time I read it, it took me almost a year to complete it. I didn't really understand very much of it, and it frustrated me that I was not smart enough to get it, so I would throw the book around a bit. But I came back to it a year after that, and really read it. Now it is one of my favourites." Fulton replied.   
  
"Wow. Maybe I should read it one day" Julie smiled and together they both moved to the comfortable chairs in the corner. There was no one else there, so Fulton collapsed into one, resting his feet in another. Julie laughed and sat across from him.   
  
"Yeah." Fulton smiled and put the book on the floor. "Read the hobbit first though"  
  
"Thanks for the advice." Julie smiled. It was amazing how much she didn't really know the others on the team. When ever she thought she knew everything that there was to know, they would do something to surprise her. Like reading  
  
"So, where were you after the game on Friday. You didn't stick around Mickey's for very long." Fulton asked casually. Julie sighed.   
  
"No I didn't did I? I wished I could have stayed a little longer, but I just had so much to do on Saturday that I knew I would have to get some sleep." Julie explained sadly. "I left after an hour…"  
  
"I hope you don't mind me saying so Jules, but Portman told me that you have had a lot on your plate lately…"  
  
"Dean should mind his own business." Julie said softly. Fulton laughed.   
  
"I agree, he should. But, he has a point." He told her. Julie looked at him, amazed. "He cares about you Julie. And I care about you to. The whole team does, you shouldn't work so hard."  
  
"So this is an intervention?" Julie questioned. Fulton scratched his head.   
  
"If I knew what an intervention was, I could assure you that this is not one of them." Fulton smiled. "I am just letting you know that you should do something for yourself as well. I bet, out of all the time you had this weekend, you didn't do anything for recreation."  
  
"That's not true, I…well…I…damnit, why does it annoy me so much when you and Dean are right about things?" Julie sighed.   
  
"I don't know. But you should take our advice if we are right. Would it really kill you if you didn't get your assignments complete on the first day that you got them? I mean, Julie, have you ever even had a detention?"  
  
"No" She mumbled.   
  
"You haven't lived till you have has a detention. Hell, even Connie gets detentions every now and then." Fulton told her, amazed. Julie took part in a few of the Duck's pranks and such, how was it possible for her to not even have had one detention? It would be an alien feeling for him, Fulton realised, because he had gotten a detention on the first day of the first grade, and one every day since, it felt.   
  
"You think I need to lighten up?" Julie asked him. Fulton shrugged, and then paused and shook his head at her.   
  
"I think you need to take a little time and be unpredictable" he informed her. Julie looked at her feet. "Not that there is anything wrong with being predictable, because honestly, we have all come to depend on predictability, but honestly, routines suck"  
  
"You know Fulton, you are a really smart guy" Julie grinned as Fulton shrugged dismissively. "Really easy to talk to as well."  
  
"Yeah, everybody loves Fulton" he echoed Dean's earlier thought.   
  
Julie laughed. "Wouldn't go that far"  
  
"No, neither would I, but apparently, others would." Fulton told her. Julie looked at him, confused, and he waved his hand to inform her that she should ignore the comment. Julie just smiled at him, and in that one moment, Fulton felt so bad. Was he really going to pry into her social life and then report the findings back to Portman. He couldn't do that, not to her, it would feel wrong. "Ok, I am going to be truthful with you Julie. I am not here of my own accord. I mean, sure, I wanted an excuse to get the book and all, but Portman asked me to come and talk to you."  
  
"Gee, who does he think that he is?" She asked, her eyes darkening in anger. "Manipulating his best friend into doing his dirty work."  
  
"Julie, calm down, it is a win/win situation. He promised to keep his shoes outside." Fulton told her. He was amazed that Julie was dwelling more on the fact that Portman had used him, not on the fact that he had used him to get information about her. He decided it was time to just lay all the cards on the table. "Jules, he really likes you"  
  
"I know" Julie sighed.   
  
"Do you like him?" Fulton asked out of his own curiosity. From her behaviour lately, it was hard to tell if the goalie did in fact return Dean's feelings.   
  
"I cant" She mumbled.   
  
"Why cant you?" Fulton asked, surprised. He though that his question would warrant a yes no answer, or at least a maybe, but not an 'I cant'  
  
"He is Portman." She explained.   
  
"So, that just means that he is a relatively intelligent, semi interesting, sometimes surprising guy. And, remember I am saying this in a non-gay way, but he is alright looking, not a complete dog" Fulton told her. He could not believe he had just listed his friends qualities like some second rate dating service. All of this seemed just so elementary school all of a sudden. "You could do worse Jules"  
  
"He is annoying, disgusting, sexist…jock" Julie replied.   
  
Fulton laughed. "You cant use Jock as a defining factor. You are a jock"  
  
"Exactly. Jocks should not date jocks. I don't date hockey players, it is my personal rule." Julie explained to him. Fulton nodded, strangely understanding. He could picture what it would be like for two hockey players to date.   
  
"But you date academics like Matt" he asked. Julie's jaw dropped in surprise.   
  
"I am not dating Matt" Julie informed him.   
  
"But you are attracted to Matt?" He asked, once again, more curious as a friend then as a spy for Portman.   
  
"Yes" Julie blushed and didn't meet his eyes.   
  
"But you are also attracted to Portman?" Fulton asked. He winced. He had just used his main tool that he used when he was talking a confession out of someone. He had decided not to make Julie answer anything he didn't want to, but then he asked her that question.   
  
"Yes…No, no, I mean no" Julie had answered before Fulton could tell her to forget the question. "Damnit, Dean sent you to talk me into a corner, didn't he?"  
  
"No, his exact words were more like 'pry into your personal life and talk him up a little.'" Fulton told her. Julie nodded.   
  
"Well, well done" She whispered, and Fulton didn't know if she was about to explode in anger, or begin to cry. "What else do you need to know? Shoe size? Clothing sizes? Body measurements?"  
  
"Jules, I wont tell him what you told me. It is not fair for him to ask me to come and betray your trust like this. I am sorry." Fulton told her sincerely, he just hoped that she would believe him.   
  
"Fulton, you really are one of the good guys" Julie smiled at him after seeing that he was sincere.   
  
"Yeah, spread the word huh? See if I can actually get a date this year." Fulton joked a little, and Julie could not help but laugh at him. Fulton decided now was a good time to change the subject. "Did you know Ken is dating a cheerleader? What is with that?"  
  
"I know, Go Ken" Julie smiled.   
  
"Luis is spitting chips. Apparently he has been working the cheer squad since the beginning of last year, and Ken 'stole his girls.'" Fulton told her, using finger italics around the end of the sentence. Julie chuckled.   
  
"What do guys see in cheerleaders anyway? They are so brainless." she sighed.   
  
"I know, I could never date one." Fulton admitted. He had never told anyone that girls like that didn't exactly do it for him. Sure, some of them were beautiful, but he needed some one that he could talk to. "Ken even admitted that he is having issues with Courtney. But, in his words, she is a 'bloody gorgeous ditz' I think he will only date her for a little longer before he goes insane with her giggling."  
  
Julie shook her head as they laughed together. "I have no idea what Ken and Courtney would have in common"  
  
"There had to be something…and what that something is, I will leave up to the imagination."  
  
"Yeah" Julie rolled her eyes. "So, is Dean going to be pissed with you when he finds out you didn't get any information out of me?"  
  
"Nah, I will just tell him that you told me nothing. You stayed tight lipped and then screamed at me when I tired to get you to open up. He would believe me."  
  
"You know what…do the opposite…" she began. Fulton looked at her, wondering what she was talking about, and then smiled when she leaned in. "This is what you should tell him"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"She said what?" Portman exclaimed. He slammed his locker shut. It was the end of their break, and Fulton had just made it back from the library. Dean had grabbed him and made them go to their lockers so that they could discuss what Julie had said.   
  
"Julie left Mickey's on Friday night and met up with Matt at his place. They celebrated on their own." Fulton told him. He bit his lip covertly, trying not to make it to obvious that he was lying. He and Julie had made up a story to tell him.   
  
Any other day, Fulton would feel bad about lying to his best friend, but today, after almost a week of Dean moping around and staring at the poor girl, almost a week of him yapping on and on about her, he had had enough.   
  
"Really" Dean asked, surprised. "What else did you find out?"  
  
"That she went out with Matt on Saturday night, they went to the movies and then for a walk in the park" he told his friend, and then paused to gauge Portman's reaction.   
  
"Oh." Dean nodded. "Sounds like a pretty romantic date."  
  
"Yeah, she said it was." Fulton shrugged and closed his own locker.   
  
"So, I guess that Matt is like, her 'boyfriend' now?" Dean asked. Leaning against the locker behind him.   
  
"Jules didn't say that." Fulton shrugged. "But I think that could be what is going on. Why don't you ask her?"  
  
"I have a better idea" he pushed himself away from the locker and started down the hall.   
  
"What, Portman, what idea?" Fulton called over his friend.   
  
"I am going to go pay a little visit to Matt"  
  
Oh boy, that could be a bad thing.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The big old list of Shout outs  
  
Nikkiloola - I am glad you like this story. I hope this chapter is up to standard.   
  
Pixie13 - Hey, thank you for your review. Yeah, I know that Courtney is not exactly the type of girl the Ken would go for (especially in a previous chapter I said that he was an intelligent guy.) But I sort of wanted a way to have Ken teasing Luis, and Ken getting a cheerleader was the only way I could think to do that. But this chapter sort of explains a little bit of that. One more thing, as much as I love your reviews, you need to go write more of Carlos and more Portman/Ken slash. You have gotten me addicted.   
  
CakeEaterGirly99 - Whining will get you no where deary. (j/k) thanks for your review. As for your suggestion of getting Dean a girl to make Jules jealous, I don't think he could do that to her, he loves her to much.   
  
KitKat - He is a multi-talented guy. Enforcer, Scorer, actor (well, sort of), guitarist, good kisser…  
  
MyMy - Thank you for your review.   
  
Also thanks to Ashcake, Jo and Cathryn for reviewing last chapter. 


	10. Restraining Disasters

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 10.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine, unfortunately  
  
Notes - I know that I only updated this yesterday, but I am not sure if I would be able to update it tomorrow. Please Review.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Julie left the library with ten minutes remaining in her break. She had parted ways with Fulton out side of the library, he was heading back to the school to tell Dean the story that they had come up with, and Julie had the intention of returning to the main school building to get ready for her next class. Half way across the courtyard, Julie cursed and took a left, realising that she had left her textbook for her next class in her dorm room.   
  
The dorm building was eerily quiet as she let herself in and made her way to her room. It was the middle of the day, and no one was in their rooms. Sometimes, people would go back to their rooms at the breaks, just to escape the school, but people usually didn't, opting to stay at the school and hang out with their friends.   
  
When she opened her bedroom door, Julie was surprised to see someone on her roommates bed.   
  
Rebecca sat up and wiped her cheeks. "Oh, Jules, its you"  
  
"Yeah, its me." Julie replied, and then turned to look at her friend. Rebecca's eyes were puffy and bloodshot and she was sniffling. Immediately, Julie crossed to her bed and sat down beside the other girl. "Rebecca, what's wrong"  
  
"Nothing, nothings wrong" Rebecca replied, wiping her cheeks again and blowing her nose on a tissue that she grabbed from the box on the bed side table.   
  
"Don't lie to me, it doesn't work" Julie smiled, brushing a few strands of hair off of her friends face. Julie and Rebecca were close, not best friends, but still very close, and they found that they could share things with each other. "What happened?"   
  
"I broke up with Nathan" Rebecca told her after taking a steadying breath.   
  
"Oh, I am sorry Rebecca." Julie wrapped her arm around her friend, and Rebecca smiled a little.   
  
"So am I, he was a jerk" Beck mumbled. Julie smiled and shook her head, not believing her.   
  
"No he wasn't, you loved him" Julie accused softly. Rebecca laughed, brushing another tear off of her face again.   
  
"You are right, I did love him" She grinned sadly. "But now he is a jerk"  
  
"Couldn't agree more." Julie replied. Julie always seemed to know what to say when she had to comfort someone who had broken up with a loved one. She had a lot of practice, being Connie's best friend had given her first hand experience via the drama of Connie Guy saga. "What happened"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it" Rebecca mumbled, collapsing back onto her bed and burying her head in her pillow.   
  
"If it makes you feel any better, my love life is messed up to" Julie told her, shifting to sit at the end of her bed facing Rebecca. Beck looked up at her.   
  
"But at least you have some one" Beck replied. Julie sighed and shook her head, amazing Rebecca. "Come on Julie, do not tell me that that hottie that you were trying to swallow whole in here the other night is not your boyfriend"  
  
"He isn't" Julie told him.   
  
"Really?" Rebecca's jaw dropped. She had no idea that Julie was the type of girl that would kiss a boy who she wasn't even dating. Especially kissing a boy like that. Julie looked to the other side of the room, and Rebecca grinned at her. "Think he would like me?"  
  
"You better be…" Julie began.  
  
"Joking, of course I am." Rebecca smiled at her friend and then shifted her pillow under her head so that she could comfortably look at Julie. "I don't think I am going to date anyone in a long, long time. I need to find some one to restore my faith in men. And of course, that will never happen…"  
  
"Not true, you will find some one some day" Julie replied. Rebecca shook her head. Julie shrugged. "You will, unlike me"  
  
"That's not true Jules" Rebecca sat up. "Come on, tell me what happened with Dean and I will tell you what happened with Nathan"  
  
"Ok." Julie replied, standing and crossing to her desk in the corner. She opened the first draw and came back to the bed with a large bag of M&M's. Both of the girls had a weakness for the candy. "Comfort food"  
  
Rebecca smiled, eying the bag lustfully. "Wow, is your story that bad is it?"  
  
"Well, I suspected yours was" Julie replied.   
  
"It is" Rebecca bit her lip as another tear rolled down her cheek. Julie reached out to comfort her again.   
  
"Oh, Beck, don't cry." Julie soothed, stroking the other girls hair. "You know I cant handle it when people cry."  
  
"Sorry" Rebecca sat up again and wiped her cheeks dry. Julie smiled a little "Now, what happened with Dean?"  
  
Julie sighed, looked like her story was going to have to go first. "It is more like what happened with Dean and Matt"  
  
"And Matt" Rebecca asked, amazed.  
  
"Long story" Julie smirked a little. She was just about to start at the beginning, the play, and then go through the whole story, when suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Both girls groaned as Julie stood to answer it.   
  
"Ergh, long story, so some one has to come knocking on the door." Rebecca complained, joking. Julie laughed. "Get rid of them quickly Julie, and then come back and comfort gossip."  
  
Julie opened the door only to have Fulton collapse through it.   
  
"Hey Julie" he panted, leaning against the doorframe. Julie looked amazed as she took him by the arm helped him into her room, sitting him on her bed so that he had the chance to catch his breath. On the other side of the room, Rebecca sat up, interested in what was going on.   
  
Julie could not help but be a little worried about her friend. "Fulton, it looked like you ran all the way here"  
  
"I did" He replied, his breath finally catching up to him. He held the stitch in his side and turned to Julie. "Portman…going to have a 'chat' with Matt"  
  
"Oh great" Julie groaned.  
  
"Thought you needed to know" Fulton added as an afterthought.   
  
"I did, thank you" Julie replied. She looked around, deciding what she had to do next. Only one idea came to her. "I have to go stop Dean from doing anything stupid"  
  
"Is that safe?" Fulton asked her.   
  
"The way I see it Fult, he wont hit me, but he would have no problem bashing the crap out of Matt. And I am not sure how well Matt can defend himself." Julie replied. Fulton nodded.   
  
"Julie…" Rebecca questioned. Julie turned to her friend, remembering that she as going through some rough times at the moment, and that she had promised that she would stay there and talk to her. As much as Julie knew that Rebecca needed someone to talk to, she could not just leave the situation with Dean and Matt go without her doing something about it.   
  
"Oh, Beck. I am so sorry. I have to go and save Matt from Dean" she explained.   
  
"But what about me, I am heartbroken here. I need comfort…" Rebecca replied. Julie grinned. Rebecca was sometimes big on dramatics. She was not as bad as she was making herself out to be, but Rebecca did need some one to talk to.   
  
"I know, but this is important!" Julie replied, sitting on her friends bed beside her and giving her a quick hug. "We can talk later, ok"  
  
"Ok. I will just sit here and cry all afternoon" Rebecca replied, laying a guilt trip on her.   
  
"Shit, why did all this have to happen today?" Julie sighed, then was hit with the perfect idea. "Hey Beck. Have you ever officially met my friend Fulton?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Julie, what are you…" Fulton began.   
  
"Rebecca Roman, this is Fulton Reed, he is a good friend on mine, has been for years. Unknown fact about the big guy is that he is a loyal friend, great listener, and as trustworthy as Fort Knox with all of your secrets." Julie began, quickly crossing to her own bed so that she could wrap an arm around Fulton.   
  
"Julie?" Fulton began. He automatically knew what the next question was. He also knew that there was something going on with Julie's roommate, and he was unsure if he could look after a crying girl. He had never had much experience with them.  
  
"Please Fulton, the more we just sit around here, the more Matt is being beaten into a bloody pulp." Julie exaggerated. Fulton looked from her, to Rebecca, who looked like she had been crying all afternoon. Maybe she was all cried out.   
  
"Ok, Ok, I will stay with Rebecca." Fulton replied.   
  
"Thank you, I owe you big time" Julie stood and made her way to the door. Fulton stood and followed her.   
  
"Sure you do" He replied, and then whispered to Julie. "What, exactly, is the matter with Rebecca?"  
  
"She broke up with her boyfriend" Julie replied.  
  
"Oh" He had been dreading that answer. Fulton had never had to deal with a girl post break up before. He had dealt with guys, but they were a lot easier to handle. "Ok then"  
  
"Rebecca, I will be back, I promise…" Julie replied and left the room quickly. Fulton sat down on Julie's bed again and looked at Rebecca.   
  
"So, want to talk about it?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Hi Matty"  
  
"Umm, hi" Matt paused as he was walking into his Chemistry room. He turned to where the person who had called his name was standing, leaning against one of the lockers. Matt sighed to himself. It was Dean, Julie's friend from the Hockey team and the one that was always a bit of a jerk to him.   
  
"How are you Matty?" Dean asked. Matt took a step out of the doorway, because he knew that there was no way that Dean would just let him go quietly into his class.   
  
"Good" Matt replied cautiously. "But my name is Matt. Or Matthew, not Matty"  
  
"Hey, what is a little nickname between friends huh?" Dean asked, thumping him on the shoulder. It was the same way that he usually greeted Fulton, but when Matt winced, he realised that the two boys, Fulton and Matt, were two very different people.   
  
"Well…Sure." Matt mumbled, rubbing his arm a little to make the dull ache subside.   
  
"So. Did you have a good weekend?" Dean asked, moving down the hall a little so that they were not standing as close to the classroom.   
  
"Sure"  
  
"What did you do?" Dean asked. Matt looked at him suspiciously, and stopped walking. Portman was being to scare him with his calmness. Dean Portman was not a calm guy, and he was acting very strange.   
  
"I well, studied with Julie for a while…" he began.  
  
"Studied, is that what it is called." Portman asked. Matt nodded.   
  
"Well, yeah, studying, with books and things. Learning" Matt replied. Portman glared at him.   
  
"Ok, no need to get smart with me Matty" he mumbled.   
  
"Matt" he muttered.   
  
"So, you just studied?" Dean asked. He wanted confirmation from the source of what was happening. "Didn't go out on a little date with her? Didn't, celebrate the Ducks win from Friday?"  
  
"No" Matt told him, and then remembered. "Well, I was at the game, and congratulated her there. Then I saw her at the library on Saturday, other then that…"  
  
"Matty, you are not lying to me, by any chance, are you?" Dean asked. Matt was shocked by the alligations and shook his head.   
  
"No." Matt asked, backing up a little. The hallways were now empty and scarily silent. Matt took another step back and collided with the lockers behind them. "Why would I lie to you?"  
  
"Why wouldn't you lie to me?" he stepped a little closer.   
  
"Listen Portman, I don't know what your deal is, but…" Matt began.   
  
"You want to know what my deal is?" Dean asked.   
  
"This is all about Julie, right?" Matt guessed.   
  
Portman growled a little and pressed his forearm against Matt's shoulder to stop him from moving. Matt looked shocked more than anything, but didn't try to move away from where he was being held. Portman honestly had no intention of hurting the other boy, but he thought that maybe he would try to get a straight answer out of him. "Well, you are smarter then what I thought Matty, this is about Julie."  
  
"Listen man, she never told me that you two were dating." Matt began. Dean looked at him, surprised. "And if you want me to stop hanging out with her, I am sorry, but she is my friend…"  
  
"We are not dating." Dean replied, relaxing his grip on Matt, but still pressing him into the locker. Matt smiled to himself and took a deep breath. He had seriously thought that Dean was going to kick his ass because Julie had kissed him the other night at the game. When Portman felt Matt relaxing under his arm, he applied a little m ore pressure. Enough to stop him from moving, but not enough to hurt him. "Doesn't mean we wont be one day"  
  
"Oh" Matt nodded. Not for the first time, Matt thought that Dean was crazy. "Well, like I said, we are friends, and lab partners, and I am not going to stop hanging out with her, just because you have a crush."  
  
"A crush, this is not just a crush" Dean replied.   
  
"Either way, I am not going to stop hanging with her." Matt replied, feeling brave, despite the fact that he was being pressed into a locker by a guy who was twice his size.   
  
"Oh Shit." A voice sounded from behind them. Portman pulled his arm away from Matt and took a step back. "Portman, let him go"  
  
"I wasn't going to hurt him" he told Julie.   
  
"Then what were you going to do?" Julie exclaimed, slapping him on the arm and pushing past him to get to Matt, who was leaning against the locker for support.   
  
"We were just talking, right Matty" Portman replied, looking over Julie's shoulder at the other boy. Matt glanced at him and nodded carefully.   
  
Matt had read Portman's look very clearly. "Yeah Jules, just talking."  
  
"Didn't look like you were 'just talking' to me" Julie replied, looking from one boy to the other.   
  
"I am fine, really Julie" Matt replied, rubbing his arm where Dean had held him against the locker. .   
  
"I don't care" Julie snapped and then turned back to Portman. "Portman has to realise that he cant bully people to get his own way"  
  
"I wasn't…" He began. Julie held up her hand to silence him, and then turned back to Matt.   
  
"Are you sure you are ok Matt?" Matt nodded.   
  
"Yeah, I am fine." He told her, looking quickly to Portman, who had a look of false innocence on his face. "No harm done"  
  
"No physical harm at least" Julie sighed. "Why don't you go to class?"  
  
Matt looked from Portman to Julie. "Ok, see you later"  
  
"Jules, it was not what it looked like" Dean began.   
  
"What, so you were not just holding him up against a locker and threatening him" Julie asked. How dumb did he think she was? Honestly?  
  
"I was not threatening him" Dean defended himself.   
  
"Then what were you talking about" Julie asked, crossing her arms across her chest.   
  
"Math" Dean told her. Julie's jaw dropped.   
  
"Math?" She didn't believe him at all.   
  
"I need a math tutor, and I was asking him if he would help me" Dean told her. Julie shook her head, unbelieving.   
  
"I don't believe you" she replied  
  
He didn't think that she would. "You never believe anything I have to say"  
  
"Because you never seem sincere" Julie informed him. Dean looked outraged.   
  
"Sincere? I am a sincere person" he informed her seriously.   
  
"Sure, when you are not lying to me" Julie retorted. She could not believe that she was having yet another argument with him. It seemed that the days in which he and her we close and could discuss anything were gone, and now, every time they tried to have a civilised conversation about something, they would end up fighting. As much as she was confused by him and their behaviour towards each other, she tried again. "What were you really talking to Matt about"  
  
"I told you, Math" Dean replied  
  
"Dean" she questioned, her hands moving to her hips to show that she was displeased.   
  
"What? I thought that I was 'Portman'" he mocked her. Julie rolled her eyes at him. If he was going to be like that, then she could play that game as well.   
  
"Fine, Portman." She replied, and she thought that she saw an look of disappointment cross his face, but it happened so quickly that she was unsure if she had actually seen it, or if it was just a figment of her imagination. "Can you just, for once, tell me the truth. What were you talking about?"  
  
"You" He sighed truthfully.   
  
"Thought so" Julie mumbled. She lent back against the locker that Matt had been leaning against, crossing her arms in front of her chest again. "What is wrong with you, why are you being like this."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"This" She exclaimed, indicating to him, unsure of how else to explain herself and the situation that they were in. "Dean, you were just some testosterone filled macho. I for one know that you are not really like that, at least not when you are off the ice. Do I really have some strange effect on you that makes you do stupid things?"  
  
"Stupid things?" he questioned.   
  
"Yeah. Like that goal you scored on Friday night" she replied.   
  
Dean scoffed. "What makes you think that has anything to do with you?"  
  
"Portman, you winked at me. Just like Ken was winking at Courtney. You scored that goal for me" she accused him.   
  
"Wow, some one here is really self centred" he mocked her. Julie rolled her eyes at him again.   
  
"Dean, be serious. Was it your intention to impress me?" she asked. Julie knew that she did not need to know the answer to the question, because she had already made up her own mind about why he had winked at her, but she also decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.   
  
"Did it work?" he asked her.   
  
"Well, you do have skill with the puck" Julie admitting. She could not believe that she had said that to him. Damn her mind and its one track like qualities when it came to hockey.   
  
Dean grinned in a self congratulatory gesture. "Well, then yeah, it was my intention."  
  
"Why?" she asked.   
  
"Why not?" Dean shrugged.   
  
"And why are you being like this with Matt?" Julie asked him.   
  
"Why are you asking me so many questions?" Dean asked her.   
  
Julie sighed angrily. "Are you trying to annoy me?"  
  
"Would it be ok of I was?" Dean smiled.   
  
Julie balled a fist. "Can I hit you if you do?"  
  
"Will that make you feel better?" Dean questioned.   
  
Julie laughed hollowly in defeat. "God, like always, we are getting no where with this conversation. Stop answering my questions with more questions"  
  
"Stop asking questions then. Ever thought that sometimes it is best to just sit back and go with the flow. You don't need to know every single little thing about everything." He told her.   
  
"I do" She mumbled, looking at her feet. Dean had hit another nerve, and now she felt the need to explain herself to him. As much as she hated it when he did that, she found herself softly telling him. "I don't like not knowing what is going on"  
  
"I don't either, but I have no idea what is going on" Dean replied. Julie looked up at him, wondering what he meant. Out of the two of them, she would think that he was the one who knew what was going on. He was the one with all the power in the situation. "I don't know what is going on with you?" he explained.   
  
"With me?" She asked. Dean nodded and stood beside her, his back pressed against the lockers just as hers was. He tried to look casual and not wince at the lock that was pressed into his lower back.   
  
"Yes Jules, with you" he replied carefully. "Why do you keep pushing me away?"  
  
"Because…" Julie thought frantically. She didn't know how to answer the question. But she knew that she had to think of something, and quickly. "I like Matt"  
  
Dean shifted so that his arm was against the locker and he was looking at her. "Liar"   
  
"I am not lying" Julie told him. Her only hope at that point was that she would at least sound sincere.  
  
"Bullshit. Hypocrite." He retorted quickly. Julie looked at him, and he grinned. "You told me that you don't want me to lie to you, and then you turn around and you are lying to me."  
  
"I am not lying, I like Matt" Julie replied.   
  
Dean ran his hand carefully down her arm. "But you don't want Matt"  
  
"Sure I do" Julie replied weakly. Damnit, she groaned. Her legs were beginning to do the whole jelly thing again, and she was caught some where between just wishing he would go away, and wishing he would hurry up and kiss her, just to get it over with. This was getting unbearable. And Julie felt that her dignity was diminishing. It seemed that every time she said 'No' to him, all he would have to do is something small and simple and she would be saying 'Yes'. Julie was ashamed, she was setting the women's rights movement back years, she was sure of it.   
  
"Fine. Keep telling yourself that Jules.." Dean grinned as he realised that her control was beginning to waver. Julie was a fighter, but once he broke down the wall, he was in, and he knew it. His fingers continued to run up and down her arm before resting on her shoulder and playing idly with a few strands of her hair "If you keep telling yourself that you don't love me, then maybe you will start to believe it."  
  
She said indignantly. "I don't love you"  
  
Dean could not help but chuckle a little to himself. "Wow. I almost believed that"  
  
"I…Don't…love…you!" she told him, punctuating each word with a poke to the chest. Dean smiled.   
  
"Getting better. Maybe you should practice that statement in front of a mirror" he told her.   
  
Julie threw her hands up in defeat. "You are such a jerk."  
  
"Only saying that because I am right" Dean shrugged indifferently.   
  
"You want to know why I don't love you?" Julie asked suddenly as she stared angrily at his laughing face. "Because you act like this. You really think that you will win me over with this type of behaviour?"  
  
Dean shrugged again. "Worth a try"  
  
"Well, try something else, it is not working" She told him confidently. Again, Dean smirked.   
  
"I beg to differ" he said tiredly.   
  
Julie stared at the boy beside her, not quite believing his attitude. Fulton had asked her why she couldn't date Dean, and Julie made a note to tell him that there was another reason, he was annoying as hell. "You are so full of yourself Dean"  
  
"And you love me for it" He suggested.  
  
"I do not" Julie told him.   
  
"Yes you do" he argued., moving to stand in front of her, pressing his hands against the metal of the lockers, boxing her in as he had in his room. Julie panicked slightly and wondered if she should knee him in the groin and get away. Deciding that that was over kill, she decided to just talk her way out of the situation, if it was possible.   
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.   
  
"I am going to kiss you" Dean replied honestly. Julie pulled away from him.   
  
"No, you cant"  
  
"Why not?" he asked. "If you really don't want me to, I wont."  
  
Suddenly her mouth went dry and she found it impossible to reply to him. Dean took her silence as a lack of protest, and leant forward slowly, giving her the chance to push him away. She didn't, so he kissed her.   
  
Much to his surprise, after a few seconds, she kissed back. He had expected to have to do a little bit of work on her to get her to open up to him, but she responded almost immediately. Dean found himself pulling back in surprise.   
  
"You kissed me back" He accused lightly.   
  
Julie blushed and looked at the floor. "It was a reaction, I would have reacted like that if I was being kissed anyone"   
  
Dean nodded outwardly, yet inwardly, he was happy that he had broken down at least one of Julie's many walls. "Sure"  
  
"I would have" Julie replied firmly.   
  
"Ok, I believe you" Dean smiled, running his hand over her hair and moving to kiss her again. "Millions wouldn't, but I do…"  
  
This time, Julie got a hold of herself and pushed him away when she realised that he was approaching her to kiss yet again. "Ergh, you are so…annoying Dean Portman."  
  
"Thankyou" Dean smiled, stumbling back a little. Julie rolled her eyes and began to walk off down the hallway. She didn't care where she would go, all she knew was that she wanted to get the hell away from Dean. "Hey, where are you going?"  
  
"Away from you" she called over her shoulder.   
  
Dean chuckled. "Don't miss me to much"  
  
Maybe this fighting for Julie thing would not be as hard as he first suspected.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
It took a while of walking around, but Julie finally cleared her hear well enough to head back to her dorm room. She wondered how Fulton was going with the whole 'Talk to Rebecca' thing. Julie decided that she would get him an extra big piece of chocolate cake after dinner as a friendship gesture, because after almost an hour of girly talk and listening to Rebecca cry over Nathan, Julie was not sure that Fulton would really like her that much anymore.   
  
She expected to open the door to at least on corpse, but to her surprise, both Rebecca and Fulton were sitting on the floor in between the two bed, a large pile of different coloured M&M's on the floor in front of them, and a few separate, smaller piles of the individual colours off to the sides.   
  
Fulton looked up when he heard the door open. "Hey Julie!"  
  
Julie pulled her gaze from the odd candy piles on the floor and smiled at her friends, who luckily enough had not murdered each other. Rebecca also looked happy, almost as though she had not been crying at all that afternoon. Her eyes were a little red still, but other then that, she looked cheery. "Oh, hey guys."  
  
"Jules, guess what. Fulton sorts M&M's by colour before he eats them to." Rebecca grinned. Julie could not help but laugh as she collapsed onto her bed and looked down on her friends. Now that she looked down at it, the organised chaos was in fact her roommate and friend sorting the small candies by colour. Rebecca turned to Fulton with an explanation. "We thought I was the only one who did that"  
  
"Well, it is odd, I will admit that" Fulton began. "But the sorting is kind of…"  
  
"Calming" Both Fulton and Rebecca said together, and then they both laughed.   
  
"At least you are smiling now Beck." Julie told her friend.   
  
"You know what Julie." Rebecca grinned. "You were so right. Fulton is the best listener"  
  
"Oh, come on, you are embarrassing me Beck" Fulton said quickly, looking down at the piles of M&M's in front of him so neither girl saw the blush that was staining his cheeks. Rebecca laughed and reached out to ruffle his hair. Fulton laughed and threw a brown M&M at her.   
  
"Just telling the truth." Rebecca shrugged. She was taking handfuls of the little chocolates and using them to form little pictures and words, so far, she had a made a little flower.   
  
Fulton grinned at her and then looked over his shoulder to Julie, who was sill reclining on the bed. "How did it go?"  
  
"I saved Matt. Got into another round of verbal tennis with Dean" Julie sighed.   
  
Fulton rolled his eyes. "He didn't say anything stupid, did he?"  
  
"When does he not?" Julie chuckled.   
  
Rebecca looked up from her chocolate drawings and looked at the other two, confused. "Hey, I thought you two were Dean's friends?"  
  
"We are. But he is just a tiny bit annoying when he wants something he cant have." Fulton replied. Rebecca shrugged.   
  
"So, just give him what he wants" She replied as though it was the easiest answer in the world.   
  
Julie shook her head. "He wants me"  
  
"Oh" Rebecca nodded, and then grinned a little. "Nothing wrong with that"  
  
"Everything wrong with that Beck." Julie replied, collapsing back onto the bed and hugging a pillow to her chest.   
  
Rebecca shrugged, not really understanding. "If you say so"   
  
"What did he say?" Fulton asked, turning his whole body so that he could look at her. Julie sighed and rolled on her side, propping her head up with her hand.   
  
"Nothing important, just a whole heap of alligations were thrown." Julie replied.   
  
"If he hurt you, I will hurt him back" Fulton told her, only half serious. Julie grinned a little.   
  
"Oh, isn't that sweet" Rebecca asked, and Fulton looked over his shoulder at him. "Fulton, you are the worlds coolest guy. Sweet, funny, good looking, considerate… Marry me?"  
  
"You are only asking that because you are on the rebound" He joked. "Ask me again in a month or so."  
  
"Ok." Rebecca smiled, turning back to the candies.   
  
"Oh my god, look at the time." Julie said as she stretched and looked at her clock which she kept on her bedside. "We seriously just missed sixth period"  
  
"So?" both Fulton and Rebecca asked.   
  
"So, I have never skipped a class before." Julie informed both of them. She then stood and picked up her book off of her desk. "I have to go to seventh, either of you coming?"  
  
A look of sheer excitement made itself known on Fulton's face as he pushed himself up from the floor and stood beside Julie. He was practically bouncing in the one spot. "I have advanced furniture construction. Today we are building bread boxes with artistic hand carved trim."  
  
"I think that is a yes from Fult. Are you coming Rebecca?" Julie laughed, feeding off of her friends excitement.   
  
Rebecca held out her hand and Fulton pulled her to her feet. She then went to the corner of the room and picked up the guitar. "I have music. Do you really think I would skip music?"  
  
The three quickly picked up the M&M's (most were eaten, and those that wont were thrown in the war that started when Fulton tried to put one in Rebecca's ear) and then quickly left the room.   
  
As they crossed the school campus to their next class (which they were already a little late for), Fulton cut off Julie's complaint by saying. "Hey Jules, look at it this way, this is the first step towards breaking your predictable image."  
  
"Hey yeah" Julie smiled brightly, and slowed her pace a little, suddenly realising that being late to class was not really such a big deal. "I am going to get a detention for this!"  
  
Ahead of her, Rebecca turned to Fulton. "I think she is the first person I have ever seen would is happy to have a detention…"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Shout outs  
  
Snorts90 - Nah, I would never let him kill anyone. That would make him go to prison, and you know what they do to the good looking ones in prison.   
  
Cathryn - I loved the bit with the smelly shoes to, it reminded me of my brother and the fight I always have with him about them.   
  
Pixi13 - I am glad you liked it. And don't be so shocker that I like your work. Yeah, our Ken is getting sick of giggly Courtney, I think that I might add a break up in here somewhere, with Ken being the dumper. And I loved the Chinese whispers thing to. I was amazed when I sat down and just typed that. It turned out great.   
  
Kayla - thank you for your review, you will have read more to see if it all works out.   
  
Nikkiloola - HEY, I LOVE FULTON TO. Lets all shout about it. He was one of my favourites when I first watched the films, he was definitely my favourite in the first film, and I realised that he is so mysterious. No one knows anything about him, so you can make him who ever you want to. And he seems like such a sweetie. I hope you like him in this chapter as well. 


	11. The Breakfast Club, Green Eggs and Ham R...

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 11  
  
Disclaimer - Everything that does not belong to me belongs to some one else.   
  
Notes - Ok, this is the longest chapter so far. 6336 words, not counting the notes. And this one is actually one of my favourites so far. Flowed so well, and turned out great. My only hope is that you people don't think it is lame.   
  
Review for me please.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Mr. Wu?"  
  
"Present"  
  
"Mr. Mendoza?"  
  
"Present"  
  
As they had been warned, the Prank against Old Man Walsh, was not exactly the most successful one that the Ducks had played. It was not a matter of the laxative not working, because as the Ducks cheerily noted as they watched the old grumpy walk uncomfortably between the desks in the classroom, it had definitely had an effect on him. The bad thing was, that they had unfortunately been caught.   
  
"Mr. Reed?"  
  
"Present"  
  
And now they were all sitting in detention. Walsh was walking slowly, marking their names off of the master detention list. Portman rolled his eyes and settled into his seat at the back of the detention classroom, he had a strange feeling that this was going to be a long and painful detention.   
  
Old Man Walsh paused beside Adam's chair, tapping his pen on his role and making a disapproving tsking sound. "Mr. Banks"  
  
"Present" Adam replied cheerily. Gareth Walsh had been one of his fathers fraternity brothers at Princeton., and the two men were still close. Adam knew that Old Man Walsh would call up his father that night and inform him of his sons adventure into the world of delinquency. Adam, fortunately, could not care less about what his father had to say about all of this. Ducks flew together.   
  
"And oh yes" Old Man Walsh paused, a strange, almost maniacal gleam entering his eyes "Mr. Portman"  
  
"Howdy Walshie." Dean grinned.   
  
The other ducks could hear their teacher grinding his teeth from where they were sitting. "That is Mr. Walsh to you, Young master Portman"  
  
When Walsh turned to walk back to his desk at the front of the room, Portman saluted his retreating back. "Sir, yes sir"  
  
"We are only waiting on two more, then we may get started on this afternoons detention" He announced, looking out over the group that consisted completely of male ducks. "But I must say, having a whole flock of ducks in my detention room is definitely a highlight of the week"  
  
Dean rolled his eyes and mumbled. "Jerk"  
  
Old Man Walsh, who had been going over the attendance sheet again looked up at him, questioningly. "Did you say something, Mr. Portman?"  
  
"No sir, not at all sir" Dean replied politely.   
  
"Good. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of serving a detention with me, here are the rules, and I expect for them to be followed precisely." Old Man Walsh began. Dean smiled and turned to Fulton who was sitting at the desk beside him. This was their favourite part of detention with Old Man Walsh. "The first rule of detention…"  
  
"Is that you don't talk about detention" The boys loudly whispered loudly together. In front of them, Russ, Ken and Goldberg each smiled.   
  
"There will be no talking out of turn…" Walsh, who had not heard them, continued on with his much loved speech.   
  
"No talking what so ever" Fulton mumbled.   
  
"…No talking What so ever…" Walsh once again did not hear the two boys who were sitting at the back of the room, or their friends who were in hearing range, who all just sat and laughed silently with them.   
  
"No whispering" Dean added  
  
"…No whispering…" Walsh loudly echoed Dean's statement.   
  
"No passing notes" Fulton smiled a little, flicking a folded piece of paper at Russ, who was laughing with the others.   
  
"…No passing notes…" Old Man Walsh said.   
  
"And you can not leave without my permission" Fulton and Dean completed together.   
  
"…And you may not leave without my permission…" Old Man Walsh concluded, and then realised that the back half of the room were all stifling laughs behind their hands, all except for Fulton and Dean, who were grinning brightly. "Mr. Reed, Mr. Portman, is there something you wish to share with the rest of the group."  
  
"No sir" they chorused together.   
  
"Good" Old Man Walsh nodded, realising that something out of his control had just happened, and there was nothing that he could do to change that. "Now, as I was saying…"  
  
But he was cut off by the door opening and two people walking in. Old Man Walsh, who never liked being disturbed, looked as though he was going to explode at the intruders until her saw that it was in fact two females. Old Man Walsh smiled at them.   
  
"Sorry we are late sir" Rebecca Roman grinned a little. Beside her, Julie smiled. They had both completely forgotten about the detention that they had earned by skipping sixth period the day before, and had to run from the other side of the school to the detention room in order to assure that they would not be completely late.   
  
"Oh, you two must be Miss. Gaffney and Miss Roman" Old Man Walsh decided politely, picking up the list of names of the people that he was to expect at the detention.   
  
"I am Miss Roman, that is Miss Gaffney" Rebecca replied, smiling, and Julie could not help but smile at her friend. Rebecca was doing awesomely for someone who had just had their heart broken the day before. Julie knew that they could both be thankful to Fulton for that.   
  
"Well, you are late girls, but I will not penalise you for it. Come in and take a seat." Old Man Walsh told the two of them. They scanned the room, hoping to find two seats together, but unfortunately the only two seats were on opposite sides of the room.   
  
"Funny, any one else would have been given an extra day" Russ mumbled as the girls made their way to the back of the room.   
  
"Did you say something Mr. Tyler?" Old Man Walsh asked. Russ shook his head. Rebecca crossed the room, and sat in the spare seat in the corner, but only after ruffling Fulton's hair as she passed.   
  
"No, not at all" Russ replied as Julie settled into the remaining seat. One beside Dean. Damn, she thought, this was going to be a long and painful detention.   
  
"Good, now, your task for your afternoon in detention, is to write a personal reflection on yourself, and what you did to get you into this detention." Old Man Walsh began, sitting behind the big desk at the front of the room. "If I do not believe that your work is up to standard, then I will add another day onto your sentence."  
  
The little voice inside Dean's head told him to stay quiet, but before that voice could relay the thought to the other side of the brain, Dean's mouth was open, and the words were spilling out. "Gee, a personal reflection, how Breakfast Club."  
  
Old Man Walsh looked up from the papers that he had begun to grade. "That time I knew you said something, Mr. Portman."  
  
Dean shrugged. "No I didn't sir"  
  
"Yes you did" Old Man Walsh replied.   
  
"No, sir, I didn't" Dean plastered a look of pure innocence on his face. It was a believable look, he had had many chances to practice it over the years.   
  
Old Man Walsh sighed. "Would you like another detention, Mr. Portman?"  
  
He shrugged again, wondering why Old Man Walsh even bothered to ask him, it was obvious to all that he would have no say in the matter either way. Again, before he could stop himself, Dean found himself talking. "Is there anything I could say that would stop you from giving me one anyway?"  
  
"That is it, one more day" he made a note of it on one of the papers that was on the table in front of him.   
  
"Thank you sir" Dean replied. It was like he was in a car with no brakes, rolling down a hill and beginning to gain speed, as much as Dean wanted himself to shut up, he knew that he was on a roll, and there was no way he would be able to stop himself. He would just have to crash and burn.   
  
"What was that?" The teacher looked up.   
  
"I said thank you, sir" Dean replied.   
  
"Two more days" Old Man Walsh informed him happily. "And you are welcome?"  
  
Once again, he could not stop himself from making a comment. "I suggest you write it down so you don't forget it, sir"  
  
"I will Portman, 5 days" Walsh made a note of it.   
  
"How about an even 6" Dean shrugged nonchalantly.   
  
"7" Walsh replied.   
  
"Go 8 sir, you know you want to" Dean found himself taunting.   
  
"Is 10 enough for you?" Walsh retorted.   
  
"Wouldn't mind 11" Dean mused, cocking his head to the side.   
  
"12, just for you, Mr. Portman." Walsh told him, amending his notes.   
  
Dean yawned. "Doesn't bother me"  
  
"Good to know you wont be bothered." Old Man Walsh smirked at him. "And I am sure that 14 will not bother you either."  
  
Dean sighed and picked up his pen, signalling to the teacher, who was beginning to look a little red in the face, that he was through answering back. Dean smiled to himself, tapped his pen against his sheet of paper and tried to work out what he was going to write in his personal reflection. He wondered if he would get away with writing the 'Brain, Athlete, Basket Case, Princess and Criminal' speech from the Breakfast Club just to get a rise out of the old man. He was just about to begin writing when he realised that it is kind of sad that he knew that speech word for word.   
  
He looked around the room quickly, every one else had started on their personal reflections. He wondered how many of them would be doing the 'Hockey is life' analogy. That analogy could be adjusted to fit every single subject that each of them to. Dean sighed, like all other school based assignments, he had no idea what to write.   
  
Relaxing to begin thinking, Dean began to whistle. Others in the room all looked at him, smirked and turned back to their work. Without even realising it, Dean was whistling the song from the end credits of the Breakfast Club.   
  
"Ok, who is doing that?" Old Man Walsh exclaimed, standing and looking around the room. His eyes rested on Dean, who was leaning back a little, his hands folded behind hid head. "I should have known. Would you like another week, Mr. Portman?"  
  
"If you want to give me another week. But just remember sir, each detention you give me is a detention that you give yourself." Dean couldn't help but reply. Sometimes he really wished that he could control his rage issues. "You have to be here to supervise me."  
  
"That's it Portman, I have had it up to here with your…your foolish behaviour…you are not James Dean, and this…" Old Man Walsh stood from his seat and looked as though the was going to come at him and yell into his face, but he only got to steps away from the desk before he clutched his stomach and went pale. "This is not rebel without a cause, you got that. One more word out of you and…urgh"  
  
Old Man Walsh clutched his stomach again, turned, and ran from the room.   
  
"Portman, you are the man" Some one called. Dean could not help but laugh.   
  
"I know, I know, autographs after class." he stood and took a bow. At his side, Julie rolled her eyes. Cocky, arrogant Dean Portman was back again. She picked up her pen, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Dean did so to.   
  
As much as she wanted to ignore him and get this work done, there was a question that she could not leave unasked.   
  
She leant across the gap between their desks. "You've seen the Breakfast Club?"  
  
"Sure, have you?" Dean shrugged. He tried to act casual and not let it show that he was amazed that she was even talking to him. He was so sure that he would never again hear Julie's voice, especially after the fiasco in the hall.   
  
"It is one of my favourites" Julie replied softly. Around the room, the ducks were taking advantage of the fact that there was no longer a teacher in the room, so Julie felt at ease with talking to him at the normal volume. "I didn't think that that would be the type of movie that would get your attention."  
  
Dean smirked. "I am mature enough to know that it has its merits as a film that paved the way in the genre"  
  
"Meaning"  
  
"Meaning my little sister watched it almost every day last summer" Dean replied. "It is her favourite movie as well."   
  
Julie chuckled. "You have a little sister?"  
  
Once again, she realised that there were still things that she didn't know about her friends.   
  
"Yeah" He replied, then looked at her questioningly. "You sound surprised"  
  
"No, I am not surprised" Julie informed him casually. "I just, didn't know that, that's all"  
  
"Well, you do now" Dean replied and picked up his pen again, ready to turn back to his personal reflection. As much as he hated Old Man Walsh, he knew that he would not be let out of the classroom without some sort of personal reflection to hand to the grumpy old teacher who was, as his detention class sat gossiping, emptying his bowels for what was definitely not the first time that day.   
  
"What's her name?" Julie asked. Dean's jaw dropped, and he quickly closed it before she could see the shock. She was actually talking to him, engaging him in conversation. He had been sure that she would hate him so badly today.   
  
"Who? My sister?" He asked, and she nodded. Dean took almost a minute before he replied. "Joanna"  
  
"You don't seem to sure about that" Julie smiled. It was odd that he had taken so long to remember his own sisters name.   
  
"It is because we don't call her Joanna very often" Dean explained to her.   
  
Julie nodded. Sure, she was still annoyed at him from the day before, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. "What do you call her?"  
  
"Dean" Portman smiled proudly.   
  
Julie blinked. Joanna Portman's nickname was Dean. So that meant that there were two Dean Portman's in that family? "Doesn't that get confusing?"  
  
Dean shrugged. "Not really, my parents don't call me Dean when I am at home."  
  
"Then what do they call you" She asked.   
  
Dean smiled a little to himself. Yesterday she had been telling him that he annoyed her beyond belief, and today she was asking for an explanation to things that he had not even explained to his close friends. Once again, he shook his head and told himself that he would never, ever, for as long as he lived, understand women and the way that their brains worked. "All due respect to your inquisitive nature Julie, but why do you want to know?"  
  
"I don't know, it is just, interesting, is all." Julie replied, picking up her pen and turning back to her own work. He saw her turn to her work and wish that he had not said that. He didn't mind telling her these things, because at least he knew that she was talking to him. "Sorry, didn't mean to be pushy"  
  
"Its ok" He sighed. "I just thought that you were not talking to me because I am so annoying"  
  
She paused and looked at him. There was a slight look of panic in her eyes, and she cleared her throat quickly. "Well, I am not talking to you, you are annoying"   
  
"Didn't think so a few minutes ago" Dean mumbled.   
  
"Actually, I did, you annoyed Old Man Walsh into running out of here sick" Julie replied. She could not believe that she just sounded like she was defending the annoying old teacher. Julie could not believe that he was turning this into a fight between them, again. Fighting was all they ever did these days.   
  
"No, the laxative did that" Dean replied, smiling. "But nice angle, I literally annoyed the shit out of him…"  
  
"See, You are annoying" Julie growled.   
  
"Hey…" Dean was just about to get defensive. It seemed no matter what, they would end up fighting. He was glad that the others conversations around them soon drowned out their little fight before either of them said anything that they would regret.   
  
"Hey Fulton." Charlie's voice cut through the din of the classroom, making almost every one quiet down to listen to what Captain Duck had to say. He was yelling from the other side of the room, so it would have to be something important. "Do you remember the last time the ducks were all in a detention like this?"  
  
"Yeah?" Fulton smiled.   
  
Averman, Goldberg, Guy, Charlie and Fulton all smiled together and chorused "I will not quack at the principal"  
  
"Huh?" Ken asked.   
  
"Yeah, explain it for those of us who are new" Luis added, looking at the original Ducks as though they were crazy.   
  
"Hey, this is nothing about being new" Adam told him, with the same look of confusion on his face. "I don't even know what they are on about"  
  
"Because you have been in preppy schools all your life Cake eater" Goldberg laughed, doing an almost perfect impersonation of Jesse Hall  
  
"So come on, y'all, some one tell us what happened" Dwayne told them.   
  
"We quacked at the principal" Fulton replied.   
  
Julie's jaw dropped. "You what?"  
  
"Calm down, it wasn't that bad." Charlie replied from the front of the room. "We were all in science, and the Ducks had hit their first rough patch. Fight broke out…"  
  
Guy then took over from his friend. "Long story short, when the principal came to reprimand us, we quacked at her"  
  
"Fun times, those were, fun times" Averman smiled.   
  
"Yeah, but Bombay isn't going to come and bail us out of this detention, is he?" Fulton asked. The other original ducks nodded sadly.   
  
Guy dramatically fell to his knees and held his hands in a gesture of prayer. "Please god, if you are listening, send us some one to get us out of this god forsaken detention"   
  
The door opened and Meredith entered. "Here you all are!"  
  
Everyone cheered. "Meredith"  
  
Guy raised his gaze heavenly. "God, I will never doubt you again"  
  
"Yeah Guy, pray for a million dollars" Averman told him.   
  
"How did 12 of you manage to get a detention on the same day." Meredith asked, outraged. She began to pace the front of the room. "12 of the 13 ducks are in this room, how did you all get a detention together?  
  
"Ducks fly together" Adam told her, smiling.   
  
Meredith groaned. "Guys, this is no joking matter, you are all suppose to be at a rehearsal, this is my time"  
  
"You said you would fail us if we didn't show up!" Russ exclaimed. Meredith held her hand up to calm the boy a little.   
  
"And I wont, I cant." She admitted, and each of them breathed a sigh of relief. "But I also cant run a practice with only 6 people. All my lead actors are in this room!"  
  
Luis grinned. "Well, get us out and we will come to practice"  
  
"You want me to break you out of detention?" Meredith asked, shocked.   
  
"No. We want you to offer to take over the supervision of our detention." Goldberg explained to her. "Meaning, get us out of here and let us go practice the play"  
  
Meredith sat on the desk at the front of the room in her usual fashion. It seemed she was always sitting on desks, no matter where she was. "What did you do first?"  
  
"Well, umm, you know the mysterious sickness that took Old Man Walsh?" Charlie asked.   
  
"Yeah, he has been running to the rest rooms all afternoon" She looked around the room, amazed. "You guys did that?"  
  
"Yeah" all the boys admitted. Meredith burst into hysterical laughter.   
  
"Well done!" She stood and clapped. Meredith didn't mind the occasional prank every now and then, and she had to admit that although Gareth Walsh was a staff member and deserved her respected, she could not hate him more. "How did you do it?"  
  
Russ, the originator of the prank told her proudly. "Extra strength liquid laxative in his coffee"  
  
"Oh, that is classic!" She laughed again. "I wish I had thought of that…"  
  
"Problem was, we got caught" Ken told her.   
  
"Yeah, see, I wouldn't have done that" Meredith smiled. She looked around the room. All the boys, Julie and some other girl that she didn't know (picking up the name list that Old Man Walsh had left on the table, she worked out that her name was Rebecca Roman) were here, but Meredith highly doubted that Julie or Rebecca were involved in the prank. "You are all in here for this?"  
  
"All except Julie and Beck, they were not involved?" Fulton told her.   
  
"Yeah, why are you here Gaffney?" Russ looked over his shoulder at her.   
  
"Moral support" Dean mumbled.   
  
Julie glared at Dean. "I skipped a class yesterday"  
  
"You what?" Dean asked, in fake amazement. Julie rolled her eyes, he knew that she had skipped a class the day before, because the lesson that she had missed was the lesson that they had been in the hall, arguing and kissing and arguing and annoying the hell out of each other. "Wow, didn't think I would ever see the day that that happened"  
  
"So, you going to get us out of here" Averman asked, ignoring his team mates and turning back to Meredith.   
  
"I will see what I can do" She sighed. Meredith looked around the room quickly. "So, where is Walshie?"  
  
Dwayne smiled to himself. "One guess"  
  
When the door opened again, a very pale looking Old Man Walsh stumbled into the room. He looked around the room quickly, making sure that no one had done a runner, and then stopped when he realised that Meredith was sitting on his desk. Old Man Walsh straightened, smiled and approached her.   
  
"Meredith, to what do we owe the pleasure?"  
  
"Just wondering what I will have to do to get the entire cast of my production of out of this room." She asked, standing from the desk when he sat at it.   
  
"Sorry, that will not be happening" Old Man Walsh told her, pulling a stack of papers that he had to grade towards him. He picked up his pen and tried to ignore the full class, and the other teacher that looked about ready to scream.   
  
"Why not?" Meredith asked him.   
  
"Each of the boys owe me 10 days, except for Mr. Portman, who owes me 30 days" Walsh explained to her.   
  
At the back of the room, Portman raised his hand. "It was only 24 days sir"  
  
"Well, now it is 30" Old Man Walsh replied, and Dean rolled his eyes as he saw the teacher write something down on the sheet of paper he had used to record Dean's new detention days. "Does that bother you, Mr. Portman."  
  
"That is unfair Gareth" Meredith exclaimed, interrupting the discussion. She could tell by the look in Dean's eyes that he was just about to get up and protest, and that would just land him with about a thousand more days of detention. "And you know it"  
  
"Unfair?" Walsh looked up at her, and suddenly, the maniacal look in his eyes was back. "No, I seem to believe it is justice"  
  
"Right, so my boys are trapped in here for the next few weeks. What about Jules?" Meredith asked.   
  
"Jules?" Walsh asked, he looked down at the list and then nodded. "Oh, yes, Miss Gaffney, she is only here for today"  
  
"Cant it be arranged that the boys come and do their detentions with me?" Meredith asked her. The students could tell that Meredith was trying to keep her own anger in check.   
  
"I am sorry, the Dean's strict orders. Afternoons on Tuesdays and Thursdays, lunch time detentions when they have hockey practice after school, and Saturdays till their time is up" Old Man Walsh stood, his hands pressed against the desk, so that he could lean over it and toward her. Meredith leant back a little and away from him. "Sorry Meredith, that is the way that it has to be, you can have your actors back in two weeks"  
  
"Two weeks" Meredith exclaimed. "You don't understand, they preform on stage in a few weeks, they will not be ready if you take away their after school practices"  
  
"One practice less a week will do no damage" he told her.   
  
"Not true Gareth, you don't understand, these kids suck." Meredith told him. It was not true, she was pleasantly surprised by the acting ability and the way that these kids were able to absorb the information she was giving them, but she though that maybe if she told him that they were bad, he would take pity and let them get out of the detentions, at least on Tuesdays.   
  
"We do?" Dwayne asked, some one poked him in the side. "Ok, we do"  
  
"That is not my problem Meredith." Old Man Walsh informed her. "You should have known their ability before you began training them in the arts."  
  
"Fine." Meredith sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. "So there is really nothing I can do"  
  
Old Man Walsh came across to the other side of he table and stood before her. Meredith tried to take a step back from the man that was invading his personal space, but it was no good. Old Man Walsh, his gaze focused on her chest, smiled grossly at her and ran her hand down her arm. It made her shiver in disgust. "Well, there is…"  
  
"Gareth, that is unprofessional and…icky." Meredith stepped back from Old Man Walsh and wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her arms to get rid of the chill that had set itself deep in her bones. Casually, Meredith turned to see all the boys in the room standing, each looked livid, about ready to beat up their teacher. "Boys, sit down, I am fine"  
  
"Are you sure, it looked like he was putting the Mendoza moves on you" Portman told her. Fulton nodded in agreement.   
  
"What's that Portman? Another week" Old Man Walsh asked, there was no question that he was feeling the sting of rejection and embarrassment, but also, if looks could kill, he they would have already convicted the room full of teenagers with murder. Meredith had to wonder if anyone would blame them for killing him.   
  
Meredith sighed, steadied herself with a deep breath, but did not move from where she was standing between Charlie and Adam's desks. She was suddenly scared to be in the same room as Old Man Walsh. Meredith looked over her shoulder at the bash brothers sitting at the back of the room, wondering if it would be wise to go and stand between them. At least then she may have felt a little safer. "Cant they just do a lunch time detention on Tuesdays?"  
  
"Why don't you do a lunch time practice on Tuesdays?" He told her.   
  
"Sir, the string quartet practices in the auditorium on Tuesdays at lunch" A voice from the back of the room told them. Meredith turned to the girl that she didn't recognise, obviously Rebecca Roman, and smiled at her.   
  
"There, see, space taken by the string quartet" Meredith replied.   
  
"And what is wrong with your classroom?" Old Man Walsh asked her gruffly.   
  
"It is so small for a production of this size" she explained.   
  
"Then I am sorry, but they will not be coming to practices on Tuesdays" he told her with finality.   
  
"My ass they wont" Meredith exclaimed, crossing the room to the doorway. "I will just have to speak to the Dean about this"  
  
"And I already know what he will say." Old Man Walsh told her.  
  
"Yeah, that it is important that these students, who will be representing this educational establishment to the general public, must be able to preform to the best of their ability." She replied. "Lost of big Dean type words for Tuesdays, these kids are mine."  
  
"Fine Meredith, be a child and take it that far." He told her, shaking his head. "Go crying to the Dean"  
  
"I will" Meredith told her colleague, stamping her foot like a toddler. She then turned to the class. "Sit tight Ducks, I may have you out of here by the end of the day"  
  
"Meredith, we are nominating you for sainthood!" Goldberg announced. Meredith grinned, then left the room and closed the door behind her.   
  
"Why are you all just sitting there?" Old Man Walsh exclaimed, turning back to the class who were all still smiling from their teachers last comment. "Get to work. I expect a personal reflection from each of you on my desk before you leave this afternoon"  
  
Each of the ducks picked up their pens and turned to the sheets of paper before them. No one in the room had really written anything on their papers, and they were all now scribbling anything that they could think of, explaining what they were thinking.   
  
Julie didn't know what she was going to write. Her mind was in a thousand places at once. She thought that maybe she could write about my life as though it was hockey, but then she also thought that Adam and Charlie would take that angle, since hockey really was their life, and always would be their life. Julie could not help but curse the fact that she only had a few more years until hockey would no longer be her life. She could play through high school, and maybe through collage if she was accepted into one of the two collages in the country that had female hockey teams, but other then that, she would have to stop. There was no Female National Hockey League, no career, she had no future in the sport. And that made her sad. Hockey was as much her life as it was the lives of the others on the team. If she wasn't hockey, she was no one.   
  
Julie wondered briefly what Dean would be writing about. She also wondered why on earth she cared. She didn't have time to worry about what he was doing, because she had to do her own work. If she didn't, then she would have to come back and do another Detention. Detentions, although they were a new experience to her, it was something that she knew that she would not like to do again any time soon. Especially with a teacher like Old Man Walsh. She had never realised how sleazy the old man was.   
  
As soon as she and Rebecca had walked in, his demeanour had changed. She could tell that before they had entered, the old man had been very unpleasant to the boys, then, he became different. There was a different look in his eyes as he looked at her and Rebecca. It was unsettling. And then he had, oh my god, he had touched Meredith. Julie was surprised that Meredith had not broken the older man's hands, but she could also tell that her English teacher was in shock. Scared to, Julie had seen the look of longing Meredith had as she quickly eyed the spot between the bash brothers desks. Julie had to admit that if she was in the same position, then she would want to be protected by them to.   
  
Julie only hoped that Meredith was smart enough to tell the Dean about what had happened. She didn't think that she would ever be able to be comfortable in the presence of Old Man Walsh. The combination of the look in his eyes and the fear in Meredith's had been enough to make her skin crawl. What if a student was next to be propositioned by the pervert. Men like that should not be able to work in schools.   
  
After ten minutes of thinking, Julie finally began writing. Suddenly, She knew what she wanted to say, how he wanted to say it, and as soon as she put her pen to paper, the thoughts flowed easily. It was not a personal reflection, it was a letter to the Dean, telling him what she had seen, and relaying her fears for the female population of the school.   
  
Soon after, the door was thrown open, and a very happy (and a lot calmer) Meredith entered.   
  
"Pens down Ducks" She announced, and they all cheered. "We have a rehearsal to get to"  
  
"Sit down Ducks" Old Man Walsh told them, and the few that had had the time to stand up all sat down again. "Meredith, what is the meaning of this?"  
  
"The Dean saw it my way, this is a note from him informing you that the Ducks are mine on a Tuesday afternoon" She grinned, handing over the folded note. "Oh, and look at this, it is Tuesday. I would appreciate it if you would dismiss my Duckies."  
  
Old Man Walsh frowned as he read the note.   
  
Meredith interrupted his reading. "Also, the Dean wishes to discuss a matter of … some importance with you, so you have to go see him as soon as you can. "  
  
"Some one's in trouble" Ken smiled "Gross old pervert"  
  
Julie sighed in relief, and then smiled at Ken. It was good to know that she wasn't the only one in the class who thought that it was gross and wrong that Old Man Walsh had done to Meredith.   
  
"Please leave your personal reflections, completed or not, on my desk, you will each be finishing them in your next detention." Old Man Walsh told them, his voice wavering a little. A almost everyone stood and made their way to the front of the room, dropping their half completed reflections on the table.   
  
Meredith looked around the room, her gaze resting on the girl in the back corner, who had just said a quick goodbye to Fulton. The young woman looked pale and some what sick. Meredith recognised the look in the young girls eyes, and even the look that she caught quickly in Fulton's gaze as he walked past her. "Miss Roman, I would like you to come along also"  
  
"Me?" Rebecca looked up, surprised and a little relieved.   
  
"Now, Meredith, she is not in your class" Old Man Walsh told her.   
  
"But she is a musician" Meredith replied. There was also no way in hell that she would leave Rebecca alone in a room with the pervert. She would never be able to live with herself if something happened to the young woman. "Am I correct?"  
  
"Yes Ma'am" Rebecca nodded.   
  
"Please, call me Meredith" She grinned at the girl, who still looked a little shocked. Meredith made her way to the back of the room, and sat on the desk in front of her, facing Rebecca so that they would have a conversation. "You play guitar?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"And you are a member of the string quartet?" Meredith asked.   
  
"Yes, I play the violin and the cello" Rebecca replied. Meredith smiled. "Violin mostly"  
  
"You would have a good ear for music then?" Meredith asked. Rebecca quickly nodded. "That's good, well…"  
  
"Rebecca" she told Meredith.   
  
"Rebecca, I would like to offer you the role of Music supervisor in the production of Romeo and Juliet." Meredith announced.   
  
Rebecca smiled brightly and looked at Old Man Walsh, who was sitting at his desk again. She leant forward a little and whispered to Meredith. "Does it get me out of detention?"  
  
"of course it does" Meredith replied in a low tone. "I would never leave you here with him. So, what do you say?"  
  
Rebecca stood and packed her things quickly. "Then I accept"  
  
"Good, come along" Meredith smiled, and her and Rebecca made their way to the door.   
  
"Wait, Meredith" Old Man Walsh began.   
  
"Bye Gareth, have a nice day." Meredith replied cheerfully, exiting the room. In the hall, Meredith did a head count. She had just busted 12 ducks and a musician out of detention, but only 12 kids stood in the hall. Dean was missing. She poked her head back into the classroom to see the enforcer still seated, scribbling something on the sheet of paper in front of him. "Come on Portman"  
  
"Give me a second, one more line and I am finished my personal reflection" He finished the line, put the lid back on his pen and slipped it into his pocket. He then made his way forward and handed the sheet of paper to the teacher, who hopefully, would not be on the staff for that much longer. "They you go sir, I hope that this is up to your very high standards"  
  
When he got to the door, Old Man Walsh called him back. "Portman"  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"What is this" He asked, indicating to the paper.   
  
"A personal reflection in the form of a poem. By Dean. W. Portman." Dean smiled brightly. "Inspired by Dr Seuss."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
A personal Reflection in the form of a poem, By Dean W Portman  
  
Inspired by Dr. Seuss  
  
I am Dean Portman,   
  
Dean Portman I am  
  
I do not like green eggs and ham  
  
I do not like them, Dean Portman I am.   
  
I do like a girl named Julie  
  
I believe she is rather coolie  
  
She does not like green eggs and ham  
  
Dean does not like them, Dean Portman I am.   
  
Julie and I play hockey  
  
She believes I am rather cocky  
  
I do not think I am   
  
I do not think so, Dean Portman I am.   
  
Green eggs and Ham, green eggs and Ham  
  
I do not like them, dean Portman I am  
  
Dean Portman I am, Dean Portman I am  
  
Dean Portman who hates, green eggs and ham.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
That last section was Dean's personal reflection.   
  
I was eating pixie sticks when I wrote that bit, but it cracked me up so much I had to let you all read it.   
  
Shout outs.   
  
BloodyRaine. - I want a friend like Fulton to. I always have. I guy who would cut class to spend time with the room mate of a friend, just because she needed some one to talk to. And he is artistic ("Bread boxes with hand carved trim"). Glad you like it, because Fulton will be in this story more. He wasn't, but now he will be.   
  
Pixie13 - I think I would die if someone I know read my stories to. I write them for me, and as well as for others, but not necessarily for my friends. I fear that the comment, "Oh my god, only a loser would care about the personal life of a fictional character" would be brought into the conversation. But that is cool. Now I have fan fic friends (like you, yay). And I do love your stuff. It takes a lot of talent to write slash. I have tried it a few times, but I can never get it to feel right to me. Not that I am against slash, the opposite actually, I like it. But…well, you know what I mean. This was the detention chapter, hope it was up to standard. I loved writing this one, so I hope others like reading it. Next chapter may have something of interest in it for you. So there, I updated, now you just have to review. I agree, long live writing and expression of ourselves through story. Some use music, some use violence, we use fiction.   
  
And one last note, I realised I have totally neglected Connie, so she is in the next chapter. 


	12. Growing up, Breaking up, Messing up

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 12  
  
Disclaimer - Ducks are Disney's, Rebecca, Courtney, Meredith, Gareth Walsh (AKA Dirty old pervert) Matt and any other character that you don't recognise belong to me.   
  
Notes - Each time I say this, and each time I mean it. This is the longest chapter at 7288 words. Amazing. It seems that as soon as I start typing, I cant stop. This one was a lot of fun for me to write. A little more relaxed, Julie/Dean banter but no real fighting. Also, a few comments are made through out the chapter. They are meant in jest. But if any offence is taken, I am extremely sorry.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Connie covered her mouth with her hand and looked at her friends, shocked. "That must had been horrible"  
  
"It was"  
  
"Is Meredith Ok?" Connie asked Julie. They were at hockey practice the next afternoon, and it was unfortunately the first opportunity that the team had to explain to Connie what happened the day before at the detention. She was one only member of the team that had not been at the detention, and so she did not know what had happened between Old Man Walsh and Meredith.   
  
"Meredith is fine." Julie told her. She looked around the rink and smiled quickly at the others. Orion was not present at the practice, he was at a coaches conference, and had told his team that they could run their own practice. No one was suited up, no one had their sticks out, and no one had thought to bring a puck along. They had all managed to convince Captain Duck, the reincarnation of Captain Blood, to just let them play 'Ducks Hockey'. And the team was very much enjoying the old rule of 'Play or play around'. They were just skating in lazy circles, socialising. "You know Meredith, it would take a lot more then just a sleazy teacher to make her break"  
  
"She looked like she was pretty close to it though." Guy told his girlfriend, skating slowly by her side. Connie nodded. "You should have seen the look on her face Connie, she looked so, helpless."  
  
The bash brothers skated up behind the three of them. "I was about ready to get up and pound him one"  
  
"You and me both Fulton" Dean replied.   
  
"We all were ready for that" Guy informed the other boys.   
  
"I can tell why" Connie replied. "I wish I had of been there"  
  
"No Connie" Julie replied, skating a little slower then the others (she was not the best skater in the world, she was good, but she didn't get much practice, because really, all she had to do was take her place between the posts) "I was traumatised just to watch it. You are lucky that you didn't see it."  
  
The others sped up to rejoin the rest of the group, but Dean slowed down a little to skate beside Julie. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Just, had a…" Julie paused. The old Julie would have no problems telling the old Dean what was on her mind, but now, with everything different and confusing, she was unsure if she would be able to trust him with her thoughts. "I am fine"  
  
"Jules, if something is wrong, you can tell me." He took a breath, and then, took her hand in his. Julie tensed and was about to pull her hand away from him, but then he stopped and got her to stop to. They stood together for a few moments, Julie's hand still in his. "Lets pretend that I haven't been annoying you lately, and that we can still talk to each other, about everything."  
  
She was so touched by his sincerity. This was the old Dean, the caring best friend Dean who would listen to her ranting and raving, even if he had no idea what on earth she was talking about. This was the Dean that did not go out of his way to annoy her. He would joke with her, true, but he would never annoy her on purpose. This Dean was nothing like the Dean that had made himself known over the last few weeks. Julie couldn't help but wonder if this Dean would ever return.   
  
"I had a bad dream last night" Julie sighed, carefully pulling her hand away from him and skated away. She was unsure if she wanted him to follow her and talk about it, of if she wanted him to leave her alone. Dean followed.   
  
"Walsh?" he questioned.   
  
Julie looked at the ice, watching as her skates carved lines in the smooth surface. "I just don't believe that there are men like that out there, who would, prey on people like that. I didn't really want to go to his class today"  
  
"I wouldn't either" Dean told her, still skating by hers side. He grinned a little and punched her playfully on the arm. "But you are a strong girl, you could take him on"  
  
"I am not a bash brother like you" Julie grinned, and then stopped herself. It was a compliment that in her mind sounded so innocent, but when it was out there, in the open between them, it sounded so much like she was flirting with him. All she had to have added was a giggle and a hair flip and she would have been a cheerleader. It was pathetic. She rolled her eyes and hoped the Dean would not pick up on it.   
  
"Don't need to be" Dean told her. He either didn't hear her tone, or he had thankfully ignored it. . "With a well placed punch and a kick to the royals, you could do some serious, serious damage"  
  
"A kick to the royals?" Julie could not help but laugh. It was nice that they had gotten this far into a conversation with Dean without arguing. Maybe things could get back to normal. Maybe she was getting her wish, and they would be able to forget this whole insanity of him loving her, and go back to just being friends. To being casual and comfortable. "Are you sure you want to tell me this. You could annoy me again, and I will be forced to deliver a kick to your royals."  
  
"If it is justified, you can kick me as hard as you want" Dean told her, smiling brightly. "But if not, I am going to have to put itching powder in your Duck's jersey."  
  
"What, more pranks. Have you learnt nothing from the 30 days detention you have been given?" She asked.   
  
"I only have 29 days left." Dean corrected her, then sighed heavily. "But I also have a feeling that I am going to be working on that damn personal reflection for the rest of my sentence."  
  
Julie rolled her eyes. "Well, if you had of been serious about it, and not written about green eggs and ham"  
  
"Hey, don't start" Dean stopped skating and moved in front of her to stop her from skating away from him. "It was a tribute to my favourite author"  
  
Julie smirked. "The only one you can read"  
  
"Ah, wounded" He exclaimed, holding his shoulder and wincing. "See, now who is being annoying and mean!"  
  
"Annoying and mean!" Julie exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at the other boy. She launched herself at him, wrapping and arm around his neck and throwing her weight at him, trying to get him to fall over. "Annoying and mean! I will show you annoying and mean"  
  
"My cue to run" He smiled, shrugging her off of him gently and skating away from her. He got to the other side of the ice and pulled Adam in front of him. "Save me Banks, she is going to kick me in the…delicates"  
  
"The delicates?" Adam smirked. The other Ducks had stopped their conversations and turned to where Portman still had their star centre taken hostage. Dean was hiding his six foot two inches of body quite unsuccessfully behind Adam, who was smaller in both height and width.   
  
"Well, I didn't want to use the real word, innocent ears and all." he shrugged. Adam smiled and pulled himself away from Portman. He was nobody's human shield.  
  
"Innocent?" Connie, who was stating with Guy only a few feet away, turned and growled at the enforcer. Dean backed up a little, scared of the girl. "I will have you know that I am not as innocent as you all think I am!"  
  
"Wasn't referring to you Cons" Dean replied, defusing her anger. "I mean, we all know that Germaine corrupted you long ago"  
  
"Then who were you referring to?" Connie asked, crossing her arms across her chest.   
  
Dean indicated to Charlie with a small not of his head. "Captain Duck"  
  
"What" Charlie looked up from where he was kneeling, retying his skate lace. He stood, testing the skate, and then began to chase after him. Dean had already started skating, laughing as he went. "Hey, come here, I am going to kick you in the delicates"  
  
"Have to catch me first" he yelled over his shoulder.   
  
Charlie only got a few steps away from where he had been, he could not be bothered chasing after him. He called across the ice to Mendoza, who was trying to learn how to figure skate with Ken. "Luis, go after him, no one can out skate you"  
  
Luis grinned. "What is in it for me?"  
  
"A shiny penny" Charlie bribed.   
  
"Throw in your History tutors phone number, and you have yourself a deal" Luis told him.   
  
Charlie thought for a few seconds, and then nodded. "Deal"  
  
Luis speed across the ice and jumped on Dean's back. "Ah, Go away Mendoza"  
  
"So, is everything ok with you two now?" Connie asked, stopping beside Julie as all the other boys went to watch the fight between Luis and Dean. From where they were standing, it looked as though Dean was winning.   
  
Julie faked a confused look. "Who?"  
  
"You and Dean?" Connie smiled, knocking her friend softly with her shoulder. "Friends again"  
  
Julie sighed. It seemed the Connie was back in girly friends mode, and she would not be able to get out of this conversation without analysising every single little thing that she had said to Dean recently, and everything that he had said to her. "We are always going to be friends, and that is the problem"   
  
"Why?" Connie asked.   
  
Julie shrugged. "If he wasn't my friend, then, I don't know, things would be different"  
  
"You would date him if he wasn't your friend?" Connie asked her.   
  
"Probably not" Julie replied, sighing. "If he wasn't my friend, he wouldn't even know I existed. Boys like Dean Portman don't waste their time with girls like me."  
  
It was something that she had actually thought about before, not just for Dean, but for every member of the team. If they had not been brought together by Hendrix hockey to be Team USA, then there was no way that any of them would be friends. Even before that. The ducks were different people, and even those that were not that different were people who never would have met. If it had not been for Gordon Bombay, There would be no ducks.   
  
Ken would still be in San Francisco, probably figure skating. Russ would be in LA, trying to manage with what he had. Adam would still be a Hawk, and still be picking on the District 5 kids. Averman, Guy, Goldberg, Connie and Adam would all have given up on hockey a long time ago due to lack of inspiration. Fulton would still probably be getting into all types of trouble on the streets. Luis would be in Miami still getting into trouble with the ladies (not much of a difference there, except now he was in Minnesota and getting into trouble with the ladies). Dwayne would be on his fathers ranch, roping cattle and launching a country music career. Dean would more then likely be getting into trouble on the streets of Chicago, and Julie, well, she was sure that she would be no where as happy as what she was now that she played Hockey. 13 individuals, who even if some weird twist of fate did end up one day being all in the same room, there would be no way that they would bond if it wasn't for hockey.   
  
Hockey brought them together, Bombay kept them together. And the Ducks have flown together ever since.   
  
But Connie grinned. "This boy called Dean Portman is wasting his time with you"  
  
"He is wasting his time." Julie told her friend. He was wasting his energy on her. "But he just wont let it be"  
  
"Because he loves you" Connie replied.   
  
"Don't say that." Julie muttered. That was the first time that some one other then Dean had used the 'L' word. It felt odd.   
  
"Why, it is obvious. He loves you, and you love him" Connie smiled.   
  
"You are right" Julie grinned, and Connie laughed, she had no idea that it would be so easy to get her friend to admit it. Julie just smiled and continued on with what she was saying. "But you know what else Connie? I love Guy"  
  
"WHAT" Connie screamed.   
  
"And I love Adam, and I love Charlie. I love Fulton and Ken. I love you. I love Goldberg, Russ, Dwayne, Luis, and Averman" Julie replied, then looked across the where the boys were still mucking around, pushing each other but laughing their asses of while they did so. "Ok, maybe not Averman"  
  
"Ok, I get it, you love us all" Connie rolled her eyes at her friend.   
  
"And in his own special way, Dean loves us all to." Julie told her. Connie nodded, understanding. Every one on the team loved one another in their own special ways. Even super macho Dean loved them all. "He would never admit it of course."  
  
Connie smirked at her friend. "But he loves you differently. At least as far as I know. I mean, I don't think I have ever seen him kiss any of the others…"  
  
"How do we know he doesn't swing both ways?" Julie asked jokingly. The two girls had skated around the rink, and now they were approaching the gang. Dean had Luis pinned face down on the ice, and was holding his down with his own body. "I mean, if that is not a poster for gay loving"  
  
Connie could not help but chuckle. "One, That's Mendoza. Even if Portman did like men, he would never go for Mendoza. He is to…pretty" Julie laughed as well as Luis finally threw him off "And two, stop denying that he is in love with you."  
  
"Can we stop talking about this, please?" Julie sighed. Connie shook her head.   
  
"No, I don't think so" There was no way in hell that she was going to let Julie get away without getting all the gossip. She felt so left out recently, what with getting her relationship with Guy back on track and Julie spending time with a lot of time with Rebecca, who had broken up with Nathan.   
  
"Connie, I don't pester you about your relationship with Guy" Julie told her friend. She knew that it was not going to be a good enough excuse.   
  
"Well, that is where you and I differ, cat lady" Connie laughed.  
  
Julie sighed. Connie had left her with no choice, time to use drastic measures.   
  
"Hey Guy" Julie smiled, tapping her friend on the shoulder. "Come here"  
  
"What Jules?" Guy looked over his shoulder at the girls, and then longingly at the fight before him. Fulton was shaving piece of the ice with his skates, and Dean was taking handfuls of the shavings, shoving them down the back of Luis's pants.   
  
Julie grabbed him by the arm and pulled him in the direction of Connie, away from the fight. Guy whimpered in complaint. "Distract her so I can get away"  
  
"With pleasure" he smiled, kissing her softly. Within seconds, all thoughts of Julie, and the Dean and Luis fight were out of both of their minds.   
  
The fight soon broke up, and the others began skating away from the action. Julie skated alongside Russ, who was talking to Dwayne.   
  
"I cant believe you forgot the rope!" Russ mumbled, not for the first time that afternoon.   
  
"I am sorry y'all" Dwayne said, once again, not for the first time that afternoon.   
  
Then Goldberg got involved in the complaints as well. "Orion tells us that we have a free skate, and you forget the rope!"  
  
"Leave him alone Goldberg." Julie grinned. She patted Dwayne on the shoulder as she passed. "We don't mind Dwayne."  
  
When she got past the boys, she stopped at the next group that she came across. Fulton, Portman, Luis and Ken were standing around just talking. The front of Luis's old Miami jersey was wet from where Portman had held him against the ice, and he gave the occasional shiver.   
  
They were having just a random discussion about random things when suddenly, Ken groaned.   
  
"Oh great" He mumbled as the group looked towards the door. Courtney the bubbly, giggling cheerleader just entered. "What is she doing here?"  
  
"Ah, trouble in paradise Wu-Man?" Fulton asked.   
  
"Hide me, maybe she hasn't seen me yet…" Ken replied, moving to stand behind the bash brothers.   
  
"Ken!" Courtney smiled again, waving at him.   
  
"Shit" Ken replied, still standing behind the bigger boys. Fulton went to move away from in front of the little bash brother, but Ken grabbed the back of his shirt and held him in place. "Hide me, maybe she is blonde enough to think I was a figment of her imagination"  
  
"Hey Ken!" She giggled "I can see you hiding from me"  
  
"Crap." Ken replied, pushing between Dean and Fulton to stand before them. "Portman. Hit me. Hard as you can. Knock me out. I cant deal with her now…"  
  
"Ok then" Dean grinned, balling a fist and pulling it back.   
  
Julie caught his hand. "Portman, you lay one finger on him, I am cutting off your royals."  
  
Portman lowered his hand, looked frightened by Julie. "Sorry man, the threat is to believable."  
  
"That's ok" Ken sighed and glanced over to where Courtney had taken a seat on the bleachers. He wondered if there was anyway to sneak past her. When he realised that there was no way that would work, he sighed. "I guess I have to go face the music"  
  
"I thought you liked her?" Julie began.   
  
"God, I did." Ken exclaimed. "At first she was perfect. Sexy, caring, sweet, knew how to so this thing with her…well, that is not the point, the point is, she was cool. Then she changed. She morphed into this evil, annoying, giggly monster that wont rest till she has my soul. All I hear now is yap, yap, yap. Yesterday, she wanted to talk about my feelings. I mean, I may have been a figure skater, but that does not mean I am completely in touch with my feminie side. And she wants to plan our future. She wants a child, named Hugh. Hugh Wu!"  
  
Portman slapped him on the back. "Welcome to the world of steady girlfriends, my friend"  
  
"You should follow my motto Wu, love them and leave them!" Mendoza informed him. Ken laughed.   
  
Julie chuckled. "And you wonder why have the girls at this school hate you and the other half avoid you!"  
  
"Avoid me, as if" Mendoza replied firmly.   
  
"When was the last time you had a date Mendoza?" Julie asked, hands on hips, waiting for him to prove her point.   
  
"Well, that would be…" Mendoza paused, thinking quickly, and then realised that the goalie was right, it had been a slow month. "Hey, I am just letting the girls simmer at the moment, ok"  
  
"Simmer…"  
  
Ken let out a pained laugh "Can we get back to me, and the man eater that I unfortunately call my girlfriend"  
  
"Then you know what you have to do don't you" Portman informed him wisely. "Dump her"  
  
"Dump her." Ken echoed. "I have never dumped anyone before"  
  
Luis rested his hand on his friends shoulder. "First time for everything"  
  
"How would I dump her?" Ken asked. He felt like such an idiot, mainly because he had never had a girlfriend before. Courtney was his first serious girl, and now, he wanted out. But he also didn't want to hurt her.   
  
"Just be honest man" Portman told him seriously. "Tell her that she is ripping out your soul and you are saving her life, because if you spend any more time together, you are going to murder her."  
  
"Seven words" Luis grinned. "I'm not gay, but I can learn"  
  
Ken rolled his eyes and turned to the other bash brother. "Fult, I trust you more on this subject"   
  
"Ah, wounded, again" Portman exclaimed, grabbing his arm as he did earlier.   
  
"What should I do?" Ken asked, ignoring Portman.   
  
"If you don't want the relationship to continue, dump her, definitely" He replied. Ken nodded. "It is not fair on either of you to continue"  
  
"Shit bro, when did you become doctor Phil?" Portman asked, slapping his shoulder. Fulton grinned as he gave his friend the finger.   
  
"Any advice Jules" Ken asked, turning to her. "I mean, you are like, a girl"  
  
Julie grinned, and then faked an angry look. "Like a girl?"  
  
"I am sorry, that sounded wrong" Ken apologised quickly. Julie smiled and realised that Ken was so preoccupied about what he had to do that he was not really thinking straight about that he was doing at that point in time. "But you know that to us, you are a goalie before you are a girl"  
  
"I will take that as a compliment Ken" Julie grinned, patting his shoulder reassuringly.   
  
Dean grumbled. "You would have bit my head off."  
  
"Be a gentle as possible with her" Julie told him softly. "You might be thinking that he is a bitch right now, but she is still a girl. Delicate"  
  
"Thanks Julie"  
  
"And Ken, one more thing." She told him as he began to skate away. "What ever you do, do not say 'Its not you, its me'"  
  
Ken smiled. "Ok"  
  
"Why cant he use 'Its not you, its me' " Luis asked Julie and Fulton both rolled their eyes.   
  
"Because that is code for 'Well, it is you really'" Fulton told him. Julie smiled. Fult was a boy who understood it all. He was an sky scraper. So many levels.   
  
"Oh, I should stop telling girls that when I break up with them then" Luis mused. They all had to laugh.   
  
Still chuckling, Julie smiled. "You are pathetic Mendoza"  
  
"Pathetic?" he questioned. He was about so say something else, when he was cut off.   
  
"What do you mean it is not working out?" the screeching scream came from the bleachers were Ken and Courtney both sat.   
  
Luis sighed. "Ah shit, she is not taking it well"  
  
"Really?" Fulton asked. "What was your first sign?"  
  
Courtney's screech reached them again. "Ken, what do you mean!"  
  
Adam and Charlie skated over, and the rest of the team followed. "Come on guys, just try and ignore it"  
  
"Ignore that, good luck" Averman replied.   
  
"What is going on?" Goldberg asked.   
  
Dean grinned. "Ken wants out"  
  
  
  
"Well, we got that much." Goldberg grinned. "And Courtney is not taking it well"  
  
"She'll cheer up." Luis replied nonchalantly. "Plenty of guys are around to rebound with"  
  
"Mendoza, if you are planning…"  
  
"No" Luis held up her hands. "I don't take Ken's sloppy seconds"  
  
"Why, you took Riley's" Dwayne smiled. Every one looked at him, not expecting the quiet Texan to say something like that. Dwayne was a believer in the old saying, if you cant say anything nice, then don't say anything at all, and it was amazing that he had a vicious enough bone in his body to make a comment like that. To Luis no less. Luis was one of his best friends. The others continued to stand in shock, Connie was the first to start laughing.   
  
Luis saw red "That it, your dead!"  
  
"Would you just clam down, please" everyone on the ice paused, thinking that the exclamation had been directed to them. But as they turned, they realised that Ken had just yelled at Courtney, who was still shrieking at him.   
  
Guy was shocked. "Wow, never thought I would ever hear Ken yell that loud"  
  
"Yeah." Connie nodded, and then turned so that her back was facing the fighting couple. They deserved privacy, but the Ducks could not leave the ice without passing them. "Didn't know the little bash brother had it in him"  
  
Soon, all the team was standing in a straight line, facing away from Ken. They knew that if any one else was to enter, they would look foolish, standing in a straight line with their eyes directed straight ahead.   
  
"I did, remember when he bashed that guy at the games" Portman smiled proudly.   
  
"My bro taught him that" Russ remembered. "Still proud of him"  
  
"Yeah" Adam replied. "He grew up heaps over the last few years"  
  
"We all have" Guy smiled. "Except for Maybe Averman"  
  
"Bite me" Averman retorted  
  
"Case and point" Guy laughed.   
  
"We grew up together" Connie emphasised.   
  
"It is sometimes hard to believe how we got this far" Charlie mused. Sometimes the captain of the ducks honestly scared himself when he looked at the team, especially the original D-5 ducks. They were like a completely different team to the people that he used to meet at the pond and fire pucks with. The others all agreed silently with him. "I remember when we used to play on the pond"  
  
"What do you mean I am controlling!!!" The high pitched scream interrupted their reminiscing.   
  
"You are controlling" Ken bellowed, and once again, the team was amazed that the smaller guy had such rage in him. "I can not make it any clearer."  
  
"The pond still rocks." Connie replied, trying to divert the conversation away from the fight again. There was so much tension in the air from the fighting couple that she was amazed that the Ducks could even have another conversation.   
  
"Yeah" Adam replied "I agree, although I never played there"  
  
"It is so much different from your cake eater ice" Charlie smiled. He couldn't help himself, it was all something that the team could talk and joke about openly now. "Hawk boy"  
  
Adam replied. "I am going to get you for that Spazway"  
  
"So scared" Charlie made himself shake in fear.   
  
"You better be, he has a good right hook" Connie laughed. "Or have you forgotten the punches he threw at the JV/Varsity dawn showdown"  
  
"Lucky shot" Charlie dismissed casually. "I was letting him win…let him have a false sense of hope"  
  
"Just like D-5" Guy replied jokingly. "We never lost, just let every one else win, so that they would think they were better then us"  
  
Adam couldn't help himself. "We were better then you"  
  
"Hey, who won that year" Charlie exclaimed.   
  
"Who won the year before?" Adam returned.   
  
Charlie laughed. "Don't forget what team you are on Banskie!"  
  
"I am annoying!" the scream broke into the conversation.   
  
"Well, yes!" Ken replied. "Very!"  
  
Adam sighed, moving on. "Jesse told me that once"  
  
"I miss Jesse" Averman told the group.   
  
"So do I" Guy added. "The Oreo line…"  
  
"I don't" Goldberg informed the others. "Who am I kidding, of course I miss him. We represented the brothers back then!"  
  
Russ laughed. "He technically got me on the team"  
  
"Ahem, excuse me." Charlie asked. "Who spoke to Bombay about the roster slot"  
  
"But you lot never would have met me if I didn't go to the games to heckle Jesse" Russ countered. Charlie nodded.   
  
"And me" Goldberg added  
  
"True, and Goldberg." Russ sighed sadly. "Ah, good old LA"  
  
Fulton turned to his friend. "You miss LA?"  
  
"Sure"  
  
"I miss Maine sometimes" Julie admitted.   
  
"I miss Texas" Dwayne added, but everybody already knew that.   
  
Luis sighed. "I miss Miami"  
  
"Shit you lot are whiney" Dean announced. "I don't miss Chicago at all"  
  
"Bullshit" Julie exclaimed.   
  
Dean smirked. "Calling me out on that are you Gaffney?"  
  
"Yeah, you miss home. You don't miss the town, but you miss your mom, Dad and Sister" Julie accused him. Dean shrugged nonchalantly.   
  
"And his dog" Fulton added from her other side. "Don't forget about his dog. He dreams about Muttley"  
  
"Leave the Muttster out of this Reed" Dean growled at his best friend before turning back to Julie. "Yeah, ok, I miss them"  
  
Courtney interrupted them again. "I am what?"  
  
"Control Freak!" Ken exclaimed.   
  
"I am not a control freak" Courtney replied, outraged. "But why are you wearing that shirt, I told you to burn it"  
  
Ken just yelled. "Controlling"  
  
"So, you have a dog?" Julie asked, Drawing Dean's attention away from them.   
  
"Sure" Dean replied. "Yorkshire Terrier"  
  
"Oh, so cute" Julie grinned.   
  
"Cute? Cute!" He yelled. This was all to much. "I am sorry, but Muttley is not cute. He is a little scruffy thing. Mutt is a rock and roll terrier"  
  
Fulton would not help but add the comment that was on the tip of his tongue. "And you almost cried when you had to leave him"  
  
"Fult, shut it" Dean growled.   
  
"Well, here, take back your jacket" Courtney screamed.   
  
"Didn't even know you had my jacket!" Ken replied, taking back his leather and suede Ducks jacket. "You dirty thieving Klepto!"  
  
Julie chucked at Ken's choice of words, and then turned back to the conversation she was having with Dean. "You almost cried"  
  
"What can I say, I love the dog" Portman shrugged. As much as Fulton annoyed him fro telling her about Muttley and the attachment that he had to the dog that he and his little sister found in a cardboard box on the road side and kept, he didn't mind telling her, because if they were talking, they were not listening to Courtney and Ken fighting. He did have to admit, however, that it was nice not to be involved in a fight for once. "Dean is looking after it for me while I am here."  
  
"That is so sweet"  
  
Dean glared at her softly. "Don't talk about Mutt and use words like sweet and cute"  
  
"Wasn't." Julie shrugged. "I meant that it is sweet of your sister to look after the dog."  
  
"Oh:" Dean replied, sorry that he had jumped to the conclusion. "That's ok then"  
  
"Does she, Dean, I mean, play hockey?" Julie asked suddenly.   
  
"No, I wish she did" Dean replied truthfully. "Baseball is more her thing. Hit a home run on her first time up to bat."  
  
Julie grinned. "Wow, must be proud"  
  
"I am…" Portman smiled. It was true, when he was younger, he had tried to push his little sister in hockey like him, and she did play, she just didn't enjoy it as much as he did. Joanna 'Dean' Portman was a baseball star, and that was all that mattered to her. Dean could not be prouder.  
  
"Why do you call her Dean?" Julie asked. It was something that had been eating at her ever since the detention. Why did the Portman's call Joanna Dean? What did they call Dean when he was at home? Did they call him Portman? Or did he have some other name all together? It was driving her crazy, her inquisitive mind wanted to know. "I mean, that is your name and everything"  
  
They were interrupted again. "You know what Wu, you can go to hell"  
  
"Hell, no, I am not going to go there, because I don't want to have to share it with you" Ken replied.   
  
"Ah, Wu, that was the wrong thing to say!" Connie said from the opposite end of the line.   
  
"He is in for it now" Adam told the group.   
  
"Three, two, one" Fulton counted, and then, the sound of a palm hitting a cheek echoed around the arena.   
  
"Ouch" Averman smiled. "The Wu Man, getting the slap."  
  
"And that, was a well placed slap" Luis grinned. He would know, he had been slapped a few times in the past years.   
  
Julie sighed. "Poor Ken"  
  
"He did deserve it" Dean told her.   
  
"That's true" She shrugged.   
  
Fulton laughed. "He will bounce back, don't worry about it"  
  
"Of course he will, he is the little bash brother, it is in his genes" Dean added.   
  
"Umm, do we need to explain to you that you are not all really related, you just say that you are" Russ asked. Dean rolled his eyes and shook his head.   
  
"Well gee, thank you for clearing the up Russ, I never would have realised that I am not related to the Asian kid" Dean told them, Everyone except for Julie laughed. "I was speaking metaphorically"  
  
"Don't refer to him like that" Julie mumbled.   
  
"How would you prefer I referred to him Jules? As non American?" Dean asked.  
  
"He is an American" Julie replied  
  
"I know he is American. He is an Asian American" Dean told her "He was born in Korea, but he has lived here almost all his life, he is an Asian American. He doesn't deny his culture, so we shouldn't … He is Asian Julie. Just like Russ, Goldberg and Jesse are Black"  
  
"African American" Julie replied softly.   
  
Dean just continued on with his little speech, all the others were listening, amazed at the depth of their friend. "And Luis is…from one of those Latino countries"  
  
Luis had to laugh. Usually he was offended by those type of comments, but this time, with the tension in the air, not only from the fight that Ken was having with Courtney, but also the storm that was brewing between Julie and Dean, he had to laugh. "The word you are searching for is Cuba"  
  
"Thanks man, Cuba" Dean replied.   
  
"Your ignorance astounds me!" Julie exclaimed.   
  
"Ignorance is bliss." Dean laughed. "Or so they say!"  
  
"Are they fighting, again!" Charlie asked Adam.   
  
Adam smiled a little. "When are they not fighting these days"  
  
"They were going so well" Charlie rolled his eyes.   
  
Adam put on his best whiney child voice. "Please. Mommy, Daddy, I hate it when you fight!"  
  
Every one stopped, and stared at Adam before bursting out laughed.   
  
"Banks, that sounds much to natural coming from you" Averman told him.   
  
"What? The comment about fighting, or the fact that he said mommy" Charlie asked, still laughing. From his side, Adam hit his friend in the chest. "Ouch"  
  
"Hey, I love my mom, and I am not ashamed to admit it." Adam informed the group.   
  
"Nothing wrong with admitting you love your mom" Averman replied, holding up his hands. He then grinned and looked at Guy "Nothing wrong with admitting you love Guy's mom either!"  
  
"Oh, would you shut up" Guy groaned, running a hand through his hair. "So she did one modelling job 20 years ago and you lot are not letting her live it down"  
  
Fulton laughed. "Oh, she loves it when we play around with her like that"  
  
"I hate it when you guys do it" Guy sighed.   
  
"Explanation?" Julie asked. They each looked at each other for who would be able to explain it to them.   
  
When no one did it, Goldberg decided to tell them. "Guys mom was in playboy"  
  
"What!?" Dean, Russ, Adam, Luis and Dwayne all yelled.   
  
"It was not playboy." Guy protested. "It was Trans Am weekly"  
  
"Guy, it could have been Playboy, she was draped across that car…" Averman began.   
  
Guy yelled. "Shut it Averman"  
  
"What was she wearing?" Portman asked. Julie rolled her eyes at the predictability.   
  
"Very little" Charlie laughed.   
  
"Guys, can we not!" Guy asked. He seemed really on edge about it all, and Julie wanted to tell them to drop the subject, but she knew that no one else would listen to her. "I am going to be explaining this all to a therapist one day, and I don't want to add the fact that all of my friends drooled over her."  
  
"That's not fair" Luis exclaimed. "We cant shut down this conversation now. I only just found out about this"  
  
"Mendoza, if I find out that you so much as ask any of these guys for the pictures…" Guy growled.   
  
"You mean they have copies?" Dwayne asked, surprised.   
  
"I do" Goldberg smiled.   
  
"I do" Charlie shrugged.   
  
"I do to" Averman claimed.   
  
"Jesse does to" Charlie added. Then, they all turned to Fulton.   
  
"I do…" he replied, but he seemed somewhat ashamed about it.   
  
"Dude, why have you been holding out of me?" Dean asked his friends, genuinely hurt.   
  
"Shit, as soon as we get out of here, I am going to destroy each of your copies" Guy announced.   
  
"You will have to track down Karp and Peter, they were the suppliers. I am sure that Tommy Duncan has a copy to." Goldberg told him.   
  
"You mean…" Guy was almost crying. "Tommy Duncan, the little freak, has had a half naked photograph of my mother for years now. I think I am going to cry"  
  
"So if this Tommy kid has seen it, does this mean we can" Luis asked.   
  
"Some one hit Mendoza" Guy told the gang, rubbing his temples.   
  
"Ouch"  
  
"Thank you" Guy replied. He didn't know who had hit him, he didn't care, he was just glad that some one had.   
  
"So this is it then" Courtney asked. Julie looked over her shoulder quickly, it looked like the fighting was over. "This is goodbye?"  
  
"Yeah Courtney, this is goodbye" Ken replied calmly.   
  
"Thank god, it is almost over" Averman sighed. Connie slapped him.   
  
Courtney sniffed and took a deep breath, holding back a flood of tears. "Well Ken, it was the best while it lasted"  
  
"Yeah, it was" he smiled weakly..   
  
At her side, Dean was laughing to himself. Julie slapped Dean in the stomach. "Dean, stop laughing"  
  
"I cant" He mumbled, holding his sides. "This is so classic"  
  
"Come on Portman, shut it" Fulton told his friend.   
  
"You are going to make some lucky woman very happy one day Ken Wu" Courtney smiled.   
  
"And you are going to drive some poor man insane" Ken told her honestly. "But you are beautiful, so at least you have that going for you"  
  
"Oh Ken, you are so sweet" Courtney grinned and hugged him quickly.   
  
"My god, he just insulted her, to her face, and she is hugging him?" Fulton smiled.   
  
"Blonde" Dean shrugged.   
  
Julie hit him again. "Hey"  
  
"Sorry Jules" he laughed  
  
Courtney was talking again. "I will see you around, right?"  
  
"Sure, we go to the same school" Ken told her. "Be pretty hard not to see each other"  
  
"I will still come to the games. I think I would have to, I feel as though I connected with your friends…" Courtney replied.   
  
"She connected with who, exactly?" Adam asked.   
  
"His friends, apparently" Guy shrugged.   
  
Dwayne laughed. "Did any one ever speak more then two words to the girl?"  
  
"I never did!" Connie replied.   
  
"Raise hands" Averman laughed. "Who actually liked her"  
  
No one made a move to raise their hands. Fulton was the only one who spoke up. "Ken did, to begin with"  
  
Russ laughed. "And he was the only one"  
  
"Bye Ken" Courtney whispered, and then turned to leave.   
  
"Bye Courtney" He called after her. The door to the rink opened, and then closed. Ken let out a cheer. "And she is gone"  
  
"Well done Ken" Portman smiled at his friend as the team all turned to face him again.   
  
"It feels like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders" He smiled, stepping back onto the ice and do a few quick figure skating jumps. "Ding dong the witch is gone."  
  
"That's not nice…" Connie began.   
  
Ken laughed, it was obvious that he could care less. "But it fits. Really it does!"  
  
The door opened and closed again, and Ken turned, scared, thinking that it was Courtney coming back. He relaxed when he realised that it was only Rebecca. She was running, and had a huge smile on her face. The team all skated over to where she was.   
  
  
  
"Where was she going in such a hurry." Rebecca asked, obviously meaning Courtney, who probably bumped into her on the way in. "Looks like some one just told her that there is no Santa Clause"  
  
"What!" Dean exclaimed. "There is no Santa Clause"  
  
"Funny, as always" Rebecca smiled. "Guys, there is something I think you should see!"  
  
"What?" Russ asked.   
  
"I cant tell you. You are not going to believe it till you see it for yourself, but we have to hurry, or we will miss it all! Come on!" Rebecca exclaimed. The ducks made their way off of the ice slowly. Rebecca jumped a little, bouncing on the balls of her feet impatiently, trying to make them hurry up.   
  
"OK" Charlie smiled, patting her on the head as he passed. Rebecca snapped her teeth at him and they laughed.   
  
"Now guys, Hurry up." She groaned. "Kick off your skates, don't even bother with shoes, we need to move."  
  
"Well, we have been given an order guys" Charlie sighed.   
  
"That's right captain Duck." Rebecca said quickly. "Chop chop"  
  
Dwayne asked as Rebecca grabbed random hands and began pulling the ducks from the arena. "What are you taking us to see"  
  
"Something that I know you will love as much as I do" She told them cryptically. "I ran all the way from the courtyard."  
  
"You must be tired" Fulton smiled at his friend.   
  
Rebecca smiled. "Just waiting for a certain Bash brother to offer to carry me!"  
  
"Cant, bad back" Dean told her seriously, resting a hand on his lower back. Rebecca rolled her eyes.   
  
"Not talking about you" she replied, wrapping an arm around Fulton and giving him a sweet and innocent look.   
  
Fult smiled. "Jump on"  
  
They all ran to the front of the school. It was a strange look, because they were all still barefoot, except for Beck, who was being carried on Fulton's back.   
  
"Ok, good, we didn't miss it" she smiled as they got to the teachers car park, which was beside the Eden Hall main office.   
  
"Is that…Cop cars?" Connie asked.   
  
"Cop cars!" Rebecca confirmed.   
  
Russ laughed. "Shit, hide the black boys"  
  
"Calm down Russ" Rebecca grinned, climbing down off of Fulton's back and sitting on the ground. "And watch it all unfold"  
  
The Ducks all sat and watched the front door of the main school building, waiting for any type of movement. Only a few minutes passed before the door opened, and a few police officers exited.   
  
"Movement" Adam exclaimed. The whole team looked to where he was pointing.   
  
"Old Man Walsh" Dean announced. Two police officers were leading Old Man Walsh from the building. They got to one of the cars, and the police officer pushed the man into the back of the car, closing the door behind him.   
  
"They are arresting Old Man Walsh?" Dwayne asked.   
  
"Or at least taking him in for questioning" Russ nodded.   
  
"Either way, he is gone" Dean yelled happily. "Gone. Gone. The bane of my existence. Gone!"  
  
"Look y'all" Dwayne smiled, pointing to the front of the school building again. The Dean and Meredith had just exited the building with a few police officers. Meredith shook the hand of one of the officers, and then made her way down the front steps. Dwayne stood, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted "Meredith!"  
  
Meredith looked up, and then quickly made her way over to where the ducks and Rebecca were sitting in the corner of the parking lot. When she approached, she sat down with them.   
  
"What's going on" Julie asked as they watched the cop cars pull out of the parking lot and take off down the street.   
  
"Sorry to say, that due to numerous discrepancies, Gareth Walsh has been fired from the Eden hall Faculty." Meredith told the group. "He is also being questioned by the police for items found in his house."  
  
Dean was grinning like it was Christmas, and so was Julie, but for a completely different reason. Meredith looked relaxed as well.  
  
"A sicko like that has no business being anywhere near children" Meredith announced to the group before standing and leaving them.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Pixi13 - This one was for you. Ken broke up with the cheerleader. He did it well to. Meredith was smart getting them out of there. And there was no way in hell I would let her leave Rebecca in there all by herself. Especially with the pervert. Old Man Walsh's character was a surprise to me. I had intended him to just be a name that was mentioned once or twice, but now he is a pervert who got fired. Cool. I am glad you liked the poem. I had like 12 Pixie sticks and then tried to go to sleep. Didn't happen, but the poem did.   
  
Kayla - Well, he didn't get beaten up, but he got fired. So I hope that is ok with you. Go ahead and say what ever you want o about Old Man Walsh, I don't mind. I am glad every one hates him. I hate him to. I wish that I had teachers like Meredith. I never did, and it was not fair. Meredith is the teacher that I want to be someday. Loud, crazy, a lot of fun yet still as tough as nails.   
  
Bloody Raine - I agree, Meredith rocks. There is just something about her. She still acts like a teenager, but the Duck's respect her authority. And I agree, Dean is a deep person. The story of Dean's little sister and her name will be explained later on in the story. Very deep. Now go, rent breakfast club!! Fantastic movie.   
  
Megan - I loved the breakfast club to. When I was like 5, I thought that Bender was so cool. Molly Ringwald pisses me off though.  
  
Cathryn - Yeah, Matt is a wimp, but as for him hooking up with Julie, you will just have to wait and see. And you sort your M&M's by colour? I sort them alphabetically! (Ah Tara, you are hilarious!) I am also glad you liked the poem. I laughed my head off as I wrote it.   
  
Baby52098 - I am glad you like this fic. Thank you for all the nice things that you said about it. I hope you continue to read to see what else happens. 


	13. Plans for a surprise

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 12  
  
Disclaimer - I don't own em.   
  
Notes - Shorter then the last ones, but not really short. Hope you like it, review it.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Dude, that side needs to go up a little bit."  
  
They were hanging a banner. On two ladders that the Duck's had borrowed from the Manual Arts department, stood Fulton and Ken. They each held a corner of the big paper banner which read 'Thankyou Meredith' and they were trying to secure it to the wall above the stage. On the ground, Dean and Julie were holding the ladders steady, and informing their friends if the banner was straight.   
  
"Now it is to high, it needs to go down" Julie told Ken, who lowered his side of the banner.   
  
"No, then it is to low, up again!" Dean told Fulton. Fulton just shook his head and pressed the Banner against the wall, making the adhesive stick.   
  
"Dean, I have to agree with Julie." He told his friend as he began to climb down that ladder. Obviously, he no longer cared about what the banner looked like and whether or not it was straight. "You are annoying"  
  
"Hey, don't say shit like that, I am holding your ladder" Dean smiled, shaking the ladder softly as his bash brother tried to climb down it. "Be a terrible shame to lose a bash brother"  
  
"Then he would be a splat brother" Julie sighed, laughing to herself. She looked up when she realised that none of the others were laughing, and then went bright red. "I know, that was lame."  
  
"Yeah, channelling Averman" Dean replied.   
  
"Harsh but fair" Averman smiled, coming up behind the group and looking up at the sign. He tilted his head to the side and smiled sarcastically. "I think it looks about right."  
  
"Well, tough, I suddenly don't feel safe being half way up a ladder and relying on Portman" Fulton grinned, happy that his feet were on the ground again (well, not the ground, he could very easily still be thrown off the stage by Portman, but he felt safer then being on the ladder. )  
  
"I am hurt that you would say that!" Dean exclaimed sadly, slapping his smiling friend on the back. "I remember when we used to be tight. We used to be close…brothers even. And now we are letting a girl come between us."  
  
Julie looked up from where she was discussing something with Ken. "I am not coming between you."  
  
"Never said that you were coming between us." Dean replied, then grinned at Fulton slyly. "Your roommate on the other hand"  
  
"What!" Julie asked confused, looking between the boys. "She is not…"  
  
"Coming between us, but she is there" Dean replied.   
  
Fulton shrugged and jumped down off of the stage. "I have no idea what you are talking about"  
  
"Fulton and Rebecca, sitting in a tree…" Dean sang, following his friend.   
  
"Speaking about her ex boyfriend who only dumped her days ago" Fulton finished for him. Dean looked at his feet. Hey, shouldn't they be in his mouth.   
  
"Oh" was all he could say.   
  
"Yeah, Oh" Fulton smiled, collapsing into a seat in the front row and reaching into his backpack, sneaking out a bottle of soda. There was no drinking in the classrooms, but he had never been one to follow the rules. "Me and Beck are just friends"  
  
"But you like her" Dean laughed, sitting in the seat beside his friend and pulling a bottle of soda out of his own bag. What could he say, he broke the rules to. "You think she is pretty"  
  
"Not a total hag" Fulton shrugged, and hoped to god that his friend could not see the pink that was invading his cheeks. He could not believe he was a blusher. It annoyed him, and made it easy to tell when he was thinking something he shouldn't be.   
  
"Liar" Portman smiled, shoving his elbow roughly into his friends ribs. He saw the blush his friend was sporting. It was almost as much fun to make Fulton blush as it was to make Jules blush.   
  
"Yeah, ok, she is pretty. And she is nice, and she has more brain cells then that stupid bimbo that Wu was dating, but that doesn't mean that I like her" Fulton admitted. There was no way that he would be able to get out of the conversation now.   
  
Dean shrugged. "I beg to differ"  
  
"And I beg for you to shut up" Fulton replied, wondering if there was anyway that he could twist the conversation around so that he would be the one with the power. He just settled with standing, returning his drink to his bag, and indicating to the others in the room. "We have work to do"  
  
"Yeah, ok, but later on, we have to talk about all this" Dean replied, also standing.   
  
"Oh really" Fulton giggled brightly. "You going to paint my nails and braid my hair as well"  
  
"Well, your hair is long enough" Dean told him, pulling a strand of black hair that had escaped the bandana his friend was wearing. Fulton slapped his hand away.   
  
He pulled his bandana off, brushed his hair back and put it on again, making sure all of his hair was covered by it. "Hey, shoulder length is the new style cut this season"  
  
"Ladies, are you done?" Julie asked, rolling her eyes as she approached.   
  
"Almost" Dean grinned at her. "Why?"  
  
"Because I heard what you were saying." Julie informed them "And if you do anything to hurt Beck, I will draw and quarter both of you!"  
  
"And we believe you" Dean smiled, resting his shoulder around her shoulders. Julie rolled her eyes and shrugged him off.   
  
Fulton smiled softly. "I wouldn't hurt Beck, Jules. She is…"  
  
"The one you wish to marry" Dean finished for him.   
  
Fulton glared at him. He looked around a little, and realised that Julie had disappeared (probably rolling her eyes as she went), but Fulton wanted to mess with his friend. "And you want to marry Julie, so you can call it even"  
  
Dean went silent, and looked behind him. He took a deep breath when he realised that Julie was gone. Didn't mean he wasn't going to make Fulton pay. He would save it up for later, when he thought he was safe, when he was not one edge…  
  
"Guys, she is coming" Connie called softly from the door.   
  
"Hide" Guy added.   
  
"Hide" Dean asked as he watched people scramble for places to hide. "Who's stupid idea was that?"  
  
"Portman, just hide" Russ replied.   
  
Dean shrugged and jumped over the row of seats that he was standing in front of. He would just lay on the floor. That was a good enough hiding place. Not very imaginative, but there was no way that he was going to go and try to stuff himself into some crack in the wall. He was to big for that sort of stuff. He landed on the floor on the other side to find it lumpy and complaining.   
  
"Oh, you weigh a ton" Julie groaned. Dean cleared his head, and realised that he was laying on Julie, who had obviously had the same idea. He was suddenly light headed, laying on the floor of the school auditorium, pressed up against Julie. This was all to much to deal with.  
  
"Oh, hello" Dean smiled weakly at her as she shifted under him a little, trying to find a comfortable spot. He was still on her, crushing her into the itchy carpeting. "Sorry, didn't know you were there"  
  
"Why don't I believe that" Julie muttered.   
  
"I don't know, why don't you?" He shrugged. She thought that he planned this? If he had of thought of it, he probably would have planned it, but this was all just a strange coincidence. Some one up there either really loved him, or really hated him.  
  
"Hey, I thought you said that she was coming" Charlie called from some where in the Auditorium.   
  
"She was coming" Connie replied. She was probably hidden somewhere with Guy, because she sounded annoyed at being interrupted.   
  
"The cowboy is outside running interference." Luis called. "Giving us time to hide"  
  
Adam laughed. "How long does he think that we need?"  
  
"You really do weigh a ton" Julie mumbled after a few moments of silence. Dean looked down at her.   
  
"Sorry" He whispered, wrapped and arm around her and rolled so that he was laying on his back and she was cradled on his chest. "That better"  
  
Julie bit her lip and tried not to look into his eyes. "A little"  
  
"What do you mean, a little" He asked her.   
  
"Nothing" She replied. "There is nothing that we can do, we just have to keep hiding"  
  
He nodded and closed his eyes. He needed to concentrate on something other then the girl that was pressed against his chest. She was breathing in time with him, and for some reason, that was the only thing he could focus on. When ever he would take a deep breath, she would to, making the muscles in her stomach contract against his. This was to perfect, and Dean wondered if she thought so to.   
  
"Dean"  
  
"Yes" He asked, he didn't realise that his hands had settled on her hips.   
  
"Could you move your hands" She asked him. Dean smiled and ran them carefully up her back, tracing the line of her spine. Julie shuddered. "I meant, could you move them away from me"  
  
"If you honestly want me to do so" Dean said softy. He hoped she could not tell that her request had hurt him. Was she that repulsed by him that he could not even hold her like this? The way he saw it, it was an innocent embrace, because there were so many other things that he could be doing to her at that moment. And it was taking all of his self control to hold himself back. She shouldn't be asking me to stop touching her, Dean told himself, she should be offering me a knighthood for being such a gentleman.   
  
"I honestly want you to" Julie replied. "Please"  
  
"Ok" Dean nodded to himself and dropped his hands to his side. Now the way he was laying was uncomfortable, there was an automatic ache in his shoulder, and he was sure he had just put his hand in gum. "Better?"  
  
"Much, thankyou" Julie replied, for the first time looking into his eyes. Dean brought his hand up to her cheek and ran his fingertips down it softly. Julie closed her eyes and smiled.   
  
"Gee Cowboy, we a hidden, let her in already" Goldberg's voice called from the corner of the room. And the tender moment between them was broken.   
  
"What are you doing?" Julie hissed, jerking away from him.   
  
"Sorry, your hair was in my face" Dean mumbled. Julie nodded to herself, then pulled her hair so that it was all over one shoulder, wondering why she had thought it would be such a good idea to where it loose today.   
  
"Then I should be saying sorry" Julie mumbled.   
  
"No, its fine, honestly." Dean replied, lifting his arm above his head, flexing it, and then dropping it to his side again. And once again, his hand brushed against the gum.   
  
This was horrible. The carpet was making him itchy, his body heat had no where to go, so his back was hitting temperatures that he felt he could fry an egg on. He was tensing his stomach muscles to that has abs felt defined ageist Julie's stomach, he was trying not the think of the dull ache in his shoulder that had just graduated to a pain, and above all else, he had Julie on him, and he couldn't touch her. She would not let him touch her.   
  
It felt so right, the way she rested on him. If she was to lower her head to his chest, it would tuck nicely into the gap just under his jaw. Then, he could wrap his arms around her back, and it would all be perfect. She fit perfectly into his arms. He wondered if she thought so to.   
  
"Julie." He asked softly. Julie looked down at him again "Are you comfortable?"  
  
"Well, yes, why, are you?" She asked, suddenly realising that it may not have been comfortable for him to be lying with her on him. "Do you want me to move?"  
  
"No, I am fine like this." He replied quickly. "More then fine…"  
  
Julie's jaw dropped. "You are so…"  
  
"I don't mean like that Jules, although having your body pressed against mine is very nice" He admitted. Julie rolled her eyes at him. He was so damn predictable sometimes. She relaxed a little against him as he continued on. "I was just laying here, thinking, you fit comfortably in my arms…"  
  
Julie sighed. She knew where he would be leading with his conversation. "Don't do this Dean"  
  
"Don't to what? state the facts?" Dean asked her. "Well, I am sorry. We do fit together well. We always have"  
  
"Why are you pushing this?" Julie asked him softly. This was going to lead to a fight, she could tell that it would. It was impossible for them to discuss what was going on between them without if turning into a fight. She didn't want to fight with him, especially now, when she physically could not get away from him. Julie was afraid that one of these times, she would end up saying something that she would live to regret.   
  
"Because I honestly don't believe that you don't want me" Dean told her. It was the truth. Julie could tell him a million times that she didn't want him, but there would always be something there, something more that would stop him from believing it.   
  
"You are so full of yourself" Julie sighed.   
  
"Julie, Be honest" Dean mumbled.   
  
"All I have ever been is honest" She replied.   
  
Dean almost laughed. "And now I am the one who doesn't believe you"   
  
"Tough" Julie growled at him.   
  
"Tough?" He asked. She nodded and Dean went on. "Ok, tough"  
  
"What is that suppose to mean?" She asked him, looking into his eyes. The intense eyes that she had been avoiding meeting for a while, not only today, but it felt like she had been avoiding his gaze since the first time that he had kissed her.   
  
"What it means Jules, is that I am not sure I want to try anymore." he told her. Julie looked suspicious.   
  
"You will leave me alone?"  
  
"If you decide that that is what you want. I never expected you to jump into my arms Jules, but I also never expected you to hurt me like this…" Dean replied carefully.   
  
"Hurt you?" she interrupted. How was this possibly hurting him?  
  
"But you have made your decision." He continued on, ignoring her interruption. "You want Matt"  
  
"Matt?" Julie questioned. Then she remembered. Matt, the boy that she was meant to be smitten with. The boy that she was smitten with. "Oh yeah, Matt"  
  
Dean grinned brightly. "What was that tone?"  
  
"Nothing, you are right, I want Matt" Julie told him.   
  
"No you don't" Dean accused.   
  
"I do" She whispered, outraged. Dean laughed to himself.   
  
"I just mentioned him, and you acted as though you didn't even know who I was talking about!" he relied. He could not believe it, without even meaning to, he had called her bluff. Must have been something that he subconsciously picked up from Fulton.   
  
"No I didn't." Julie replied weakly. She had to work out a way to get the conversation back to something other then what it was turning out to be. "How could I forget about Matt?"  
  
"Because he is your lab partner. Only your lab partner, and you have no feelings for him what so ever" Dean accused, his smile brightening.   
  
"That's not true." Julie replied quickly. "I like Matt. Hell, I might even love Matt"  
  
"Yeah, but it is not romantic love" Dean informed her. "You love him like I love raw cookie dough"  
  
"You like raw cookie dough?" Julie asked suddenly. "So do I!"  
  
"Julie, stop changing the subject" Dean replied. "You don't love him. You could never love him."  
  
Julie's jaw dropped. Who did he think he was, telling her who she could love and who she couldn't. She reminded herself to kill him as soon as she possibly could. "How would you know who I could love?"  
  
"He is not your type." Dean replied with finality.   
  
"And what is my type, oh wise bash brother?" she asked him. She was interested to knew what he thought her type was. Would he just automatically describe himself?  
  
"Not Matt. You like guys who can look after you, not wimpy little science brains like Matty Goddard. You need a man who can understand what you are talking about when the conversation turns to hockey. You need a boy who would get excited over you, not some new advancement in the sciences of micro-whatever. You need a guy like…"  
  
"You?" Julie asked.   
  
"Well, if that is your suggestion" Dean shrugged.   
  
Julie shook her head at him. He could not be any further from the truth. "You don't understand, I don't care if he cant look after me. I can look after myself. What I need a is man who can challenge me. Who can stimulate me mentally and emotionally. I need a man who can talk to me about the socio economic situation in Africa, not a man who can talk to me about hockey. I need…"  
  
"I get it." Dean replied, lifting a hand and pressing it against her mouth, silencing her so that he could fit in what he needed to say. "You think you know what you need, but believe me, Matt would bore the hell out of you within days."  
  
"You think so do you" Julie asked, muffled though his hand. She wondered if she should bite his hand to get him to move it.   
  
"I know so" Dean replied, pulling his hand away and dropping it once again to his side. Once again, it landed in gum. "But it doesn't matter what I know. Because you are so set in your ways that you would not listen to a word I have to say anyway."  
  
Julie rolled her eyes and dropped her head, wincing as it collided with his collar bone. "Why is this all so complicated all of a sudden?"  
  
"What?" he asked. He was stuck somewhere between wincing, because she cracked her head harshly onto his collar, or smiling and inwardly rejoicing, because she was now somewhat relaxed against his chest.   
  
"Life" She mumbled, her words muffled in the fabric of his shirt. "Our friendship"  
  
"Because it is not a friendship anymore" He admitted truthfully. Julie looked up at him, lifting her head from his shoulder. "It is a relationship"  
  
"It is not a relationship" she told him firmly.   
  
"It is." he replied. "Cant you see that"  
  
"Dean, cant we just go back to when it was not this hard" She asked, resting her head on his chest again. Her ear was pressed against his heart, and she was following his heartbeat   
  
"Life is hard Jules" he replied.   
  
"And you are making it harder" Julie accused.   
  
"You are making it harder on yourself" He replied strongly. "Stop hiding who you are"  
  
"You are hiding to" She accused, once again lifting her head.   
  
"I would say out of the two of us, I am the honest one" Dean retorted. Julie shook her head.   
  
"You are honest, but hiding who you really are" Julie told him. She pressed her hands onto the carpet just above his shoulders and lifted her body a little so that she would be able to look down at him. So that she could trick him into thinking she as in control, that she had the power. "Dean Portman, to every one else you are the big scary enforcer who enjoys loud music and bashing people up. In the last few days, I have found out that you are more. You are Dean Portman, older brother of a girl who uses your name, proud owner of a Yorkshire terrier and someone that has a completely different nickname around your family. You never told me about any of this"  
  
"You never asked." He replied, shrugging. "How does that make me a hider?"  
  
"It just does" she replied.   
  
"So then everyone is hiding" He smiled. Then he shook his head. "There are things that should just stay hidden"  
  
Julie smiled. "So then hide what you think you feel for me and lets go back to the way it was"  
  
"I cant" Dean replied. It wasn't so much that he couldn't hide his feelings, it was more that he didn't want to hide what he felt for her. "And if you can hide what you feel for me, then I think that you should go to oz and ask the wizard for a heart"  
  
"God, what is it with you and old movies?" She asked. Dean shrugged dismissively.   
  
"Just something else I have been hiding"  
  
"I deserved that" Julie smirked at him.   
  
They remained in silence for at least a minute before Julie whispered. "Dean, say something"  
  
"I don't think that there is anything left to say" Dean replied. Their whole conversation had confused him, and he honestly didn't know what to say to her.   
  
"We really have nothing to say to each other?" she asked. She never thought that she would see the day that she would run out of things to say to Dean. Even now, there was so much left unsaid.   
  
Dean shrugged. "I could plead my case again, but that will do no good"  
  
"Dean, I am…"  
  
"Don't say you are sorry" Dean told Julie quickly, cutting off the rest of her statement. "Because you are not"  
  
"Ok" Julie smiled falsely at him. She needed to make it seem like the tension in the air between them was non existent. She looked up and around as much of the room as she could see from her spot on the floor "Wonder where Meredith and Cowboy are?"  
  
"Small talk, fantastic…" Dean sighed, and rolled his eyes a little. "Jules, if we have nothing to say, lets just not talk"  
  
Julie nodded and rested her head on his shoulder again. There was not enough space for her to lay beside him in the small row, and her neck was beginning to ache from the way that she was sitting. Her comfort overcame her pride, and she settled against him. She could tell that he was surprised, pleasantly, because his head began to pound in his chest.   
  
And it was then, that she realised that Dean had been right about one thing. They did fit together comfortably. Her head fit neatly into the gap of her shoulder, her hips rested softly on his, and if she had let him leave his arms were they had been, he would be holding her nicely. If things were not so complicated…  
  
She looked up at him again, and realised that his eyes were closed. He looked like he was asleep. Julie couldn't help but wonder if that was what he looked like when he was asleep, peaceful and so, childish. A different type of childish to the way he acted. With his eyes shut, he looked so innocent, he looked everything that he was not. He ceased to be a bash brother when he slept, and he became the other Dean. The terrier owning, proud of his sister, completely different name Dean that she had been catching glimpses of.   
  
She shifted, and he did not open his eyes. She smiled and reached up to his hair, fingering a strand to the side and then, without even thinking about it, she lent forward and pressed her lips to his.   
  
He didn't kiss her back, instead, he pushed her away softly.   
  
"What are you doing?" He asked her, opening her eyes. Julie bit her lip and looked away from him. She had no idea why she had just kissed him, it all just seemed so natural for her to do so, and now he looked angry. "You cant have your cake and eat it to. Jules, you made your bed, and now you have to lie in it. This is not a matter for not buying the cow but getting the milk for free"  
  
"That's a lot of analogies." she mumbled, trying to break the tension.   
  
"Julie, work out what the hell you want, and then get back to me." He replied, shifting her away from him and standing. As soon as he got to his feet, the Auditorium door opened.   
  
"Surprise" the ducks all stood and yelled. At his side, Julie sat on one of the chairs. Neither Dean nor her had participated in the screaming.   
  
Meredith stumbled back, her hand on her chest. "What the hell!"  
  
"Just a little celebration, nothing fancy, to thankyou for getting us out of detention the other day. And so thank you for getting rid of Old Man Walsh" Charlie announced, moving to stand beside their teacher.   
  
Dean silently went to join the group. He didn't know how to deal with the whole Julie situation. Had she not just spent all that time convincing him that it could never happen? and then she had kissed him. Why had she kissed him? Oh god she frustrated him sometimes.   
  
Dean turned back to what Meredith was telling the others. "First off, I didn't get rid of him. His adventures in child pornography got him fired. And secondly, it is wrong to party about it. Take the banner down, we have to practice."  
  
"Is everything alright Meredith" Luis asked. The rest of the group seemed concerned by the crabby mood that their favourite teacher was in.   
  
"Yeah fine, just peachy." She sighed sarcastically. "I have been given all of Walsh's geography classes. Which means I am super busy. So get to work. Now, has Rebecca Roman or Matthew Goddard arrived yet?"  
  
"They are in their own classes." Guy replied, confused. The rest of the group seemed confused to. Why would Matt or Rebecca be coming to one of their classes? "We all have English at the same time"  
  
"Yeah, I understand, but I have arranged for them to come here once a week" Meredith replied, sitting in one of the seats.   
  
Dean looked at her teacher. He understood that she had offered Beck the roll of musical director, but he had no idea why she would need Matt. "Why do you need Matty?"  
  
"Because he knows how to run the school sound and lighting systems" Meredith replied. She was doing a quick roll call while Luis and Ken climbed the ladders and took down the banner that the others had spent so long of getting almost perfect.   
  
"Of course he does" Dean rolled his eyes and made his way to the back row to sit down and thinking.   
  
Meredith heard his tone and watched him walk to the back of the room and sit heavily. "Is there a problem Portman?"  
  
"No, no problem" Dean smiled at the teacher who had just called across the room to him. It was good to know that Meredith understood things. She was the type of teacher that when she said the 'I am always available if you need to talk' line, you would believe her, and she would be the teacher that you would go to with problems.   
  
"Good" she nodded, not really believing him. Behind him, the door opened, and Rebecca and Matt entered. "Oh, here you are, you are late"  
  
"Sorry Meredith, Mr. Walken is a dickhead" Rebecca replied honestly. Matt looked as though Meredith would explode at her for her language, but she just smiled.   
  
"Hey, maybe we can get him fired next" Averman smiled. Meredith laughed and shook her head.   
  
"We need to get a move on." She announced to her class. "Matt, go up to the Audio-lighting booth. I am not sure when the last time it was cleaned out was, so it may need a little work. Rebecca, I see you brought something along?"  
  
"Violin" Rebecca smiled, tapping her hand on the case that she had with her. Her black violin case was covered in rock band stickers.  
  
"Want to show me what you can do?" Meredith asked, indicating to the stage.   
  
Rebecca smiled, jumped up onto the stage, and took out her violin. Seconds later, she began playing the first thing that came into her head. It was a piece that she had been working on for a little while. She had written it with the hopes that the string quartet could play it at the local competition. Judges at those competitions always heard the same songs over and over, so it was nice to add something that they would have never heard before.  
  
She had not written it all by herself, but this section was the violin solo that she had been working on. It took a haunting turn, making the whole piece that the quartet play have more musical tension. As always, she got caught up in what she was doing.   
  
And so had the others. The Ducks, who were scattered throughout the room, doing other things had all stopped what they were doing, some even pausing mid sentence, to stare in awe at Rebecca.  
  
She stopped abruptly, and lowered her instrument. The Ducks were still staring, and she looked at the floor. This was always the worst part of any performance, when no one would say or do anything. Suddenly, Connie stood and began cheering. Before she knew it, all the Ducks were cheering.   
  
"That's all I have so far" she explained quickly to Meredith, who was still smiling at her.   
  
"You wrote that?" Meredith asked.   
  
"Yeah, well, that section at least. With the quartet we have written a 10 minute piece…" Rebecca told her, and then realised that she was rambling a little, and that Meredith was yet to really say anything. "If you don't like it…"  
  
"I love it, that was, spectacular." Meredith grinned, pulling the younger girl into a quick hug. "Rebecca, do you like to be challenged?"  
  
"A challenge like writing a whole musical score?" Rebecca asked.   
  
"You read my mind" Meredith replied. Rebecca bit her lip.  
  
"I can give it a try" She replied, already thinking about ways that she could adapt the 10 minutes of music that the quartet had written into a almost 2 hour score. "I promise nothing though"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Matt opened the door of the lighting booth in the back of the auditorium, only to almost be hit in the head with a falling lamp. He caught it just before it managed to hit the ground, and shoved it back into the booth. The booth that was in fact, a mess. A complete mess.   
  
"Shit, this hasn't been cleaned in ages" he mumbled to himself.   
  
"No, and it looks like you are a sucker who gets the job" A voice said from behind him. Matt turned to see Julie leaning casually against the doorframe, frowning at the mess.   
  
"Oh, hey Julie" He grinned. "Come to help out I hope"  
  
"Well, ok" Julie smiled, sliding her hands into her pockets casually. "But I actually came to ask if we had any scientific evidence to support our biology thesis."  
  
"We have enough" Matt replied, handing her a box of things that she took outside. The plan was the empty the booth, and then restock it correctly, then, maybe, he would be able to work with the lighting board and get some work done for the musical. "That is due in a few weeks right"  
  
"We will be ready?" Julie asked. It felt like so long since she and Matt had worked on their assignment. But it had only been Saturday, and today Wednesday, but so many other things had happened since then.   
  
"Yeah" Matt smiled and handed her another pile of things to put outside. Julie took it. "I meant to ask you how everything went with Dean the other day"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"After you stopped him from killing me in the hall" Matt reminded. Julie smiled. She had been hoping not to have to talk about Dean.   
  
"Ah, it went alright." She replied. "I can manage him"  
  
"He has this strange possessive thing going on when it comes to you" matt informed her quickly.   
  
Julie groaned and rolled her eyes. "What did he say to you?"  
  
"That you may not be his girlfriend now, but that doesn't mean that you wont be one day" Matt shrugged. Julie saw red.   
  
"He said that?"  
  
"Not in those exact words, but yeah" matt replied, handing over another pile of things.   
  
"Who the hell does he think he is?" Julie practically shouted.   
  
"Its ok Jules." Matt replied, resting a hand on her shoulder to clam her a little. "It was just words"  
  
"He is just so…frustrating" Julie replied. "He oversteps the boundaries sometimes."  
  
Matt looked at her seriously. "Jules, if he ever does anything to hurt you…"  
  
"Thanks." Julie smiled. "But if he does anything to hurt me, there will be more then enough volunteers to hurt him. You would have to take a number."  
  
"People on your own team would hurt him, just because he hurt you?" Matt asked.   
  
"It is a strange idea, true, but it is the way it is." Julie shrugged, taking another handful of stuff that was being offered to her. "Any one who hurts Connie or I have to deal with the consequences. Even if they are a Duck."  
  
"Must be nice to feel protected"  
  
"Sometimes I feel over protected." Julie admitted. As much as she enjoyed knowing that the boys would look after her no matter what, it was to much. "But yeah, it is like having a bunch of brothers."  
  
"Julie…" Matt began as he held out another pile of things. Julie paused and looked at him. "Well, I was wondering. At the art gallery at town there is a exhibition in abstract art. And well, I was thinking, maybe if you wanted to, tomorrow afternoon we could blow off studying and go check it out"  
  
"Like, a date?" Julie asked. Her mind immediately went to Dean, and what he would say if she was to go on a date with Matt. But then she reminded herself that there was not reason why she should care about that. What ever it was that was between Dean and her had to be changed. She had been saying for a week that she would rather date Matt. Now was her chance to prove that to Dean, once and for all.   
  
"It doesn't have to be." Matt explained quickly. "But yeah, like a date"  
  
"Sure, I would love to"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Kayla - Are you throwing a fit? Calm down, calm down. Take deep breaths. Deep breaths are the key. When I wrote the end of this chapter, I knew that you would chuck a fit about it, since you have told me from the beginning that you hate Matt, but I have to get you to promise that you will continue to read this fic, because there will be a ending that I believe you will enjoy. Please keep reading. You really are lucky that you have good English teachers, I have always had average teachers, no fantastic ones. Yeah, I am glad Walsh is gone to. And I glad that you love the fact that he has a terrier. I was thinking of giving him a poodle. But then I thought that at least the story of finding a terrier on the road side would be more believable. Plus my step mum has a terrier, and it is cute. Connie is getting to her, we will all just have to wait to see what happens next.   
  
Lya37 - I am glad that you have stopped lurking. I love to hear from people and I am glad that you laughed. Always laugh, it is the best therapy. And the Ducks trying not to get involved in the break up. I loved writing it. Conversation is always stupid when tensions are high. I am glad you are enjoying it, and I hope you keep reading.   
  
Squidslilpyro - I am glad that you like this chapter. Thank you for the review.   
  
Jocelyn (hope you don't mind, your name is two long to type out) - Yeah, science can wait! I am glad that you liked last chapter. There was always a comment in the first movie that surprised me "Guy, its your mom" that always made me laugh (and then young Adam makes a comment on "great bathroom reading" Mr. Banks, you are two young to know what to do with that!) Anyway. It always amused me that the whole team understand that comment about Guy's mom. Well, lets make her an ex model. Draped across a car. And lets torture the poor boy and say every one has a copy. Yeah, Rebecca and Fulton sort their M&M's. I had to find something to make them bond, so why not go something like that. And Walsh is gone. Hooray. Oh don't cry, there really is a Santa.   
  
Pixie13 - I am glad you liked it. Ken's break up was all for you. Now you can do whatever you want to with the pieces. (pieces meaning Ken)  
  
Nikkiloola - I am glad you are content. I hope this chapter makes you content to. Creepy teacher gone. And Beck out of the room. I always just thought that was common sense for her to get the her the hell out of there. I would not leave anyone, boy, girl or farm animal in a room with a teacher like that. I am glad you liked that "Fulton is like a skyscraper, he has levels" thing. That was a last minute addition. I was going to say "Fulton is like an onion. He has layers" but thought that it was overdone, thanks to Shrek. He is a great guy… And you want him to have a romance with Beck. You will just have to wait and see.   
  
Please Review. 


	14. Double Dates

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 14  
  
Disclaimer - In this chapter, all I own is Matt and Rebecca.   
  
Notes - I have to admit that I am disappointed in this chapter. As I usually say, this is must better then the drafts, but what I really need is for you to review and tell me whether it was ok or not.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Julie stood before her mirror and brushed her hair quickly. She bit her lip, twisting her hair quickly into a bun and then letting it fall around her shoulders again. Then she pulled half of it back and clipped it there. She shook her head and took the clip out, letting her hair fall back into place around her face. Julie sighed, and decided that it would have to stay like that, because she could not work out the best way to style her hair for her date with Matt.   
  
Julie was dressed comfortably, but she admitted to herself that she looked nice. She was just in casual jeans and a nice shirt, a trip to the gallery was no reason to get completely dressed up, and it was not like she was trying to impress Matt. If he wanted to take her places, that meant that he was already impressed, right?  
  
The door to her dorm room opened and Rebecca came in, closing the door behind her. She was humming some tune as she absently collapsed onto her bed. Then looked up at Julie, who was still standing in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection.   
  
"Wow, you look nice" Rebecca told her, leaning on her side.   
  
"Thank you" Julie replied, moving away from the mirror to sit on her bed.   
  
"Where are you going?" Rebecca asked, picking up a book off of her beside table.   
  
Julie replied quickly. "No where"  
  
"No where?" Rebecca repeated. "So you are just getting all dressed up to sit around here and do homework?"  
  
"Ok, I am going somewhere." Julie admitted to her friend. "The art gallery in town"  
  
"I like that art gallery" Rebecca sighed a rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. Julie stood again and moved back to the mirror "They have the best mocha's at the café there"  
  
"Well, you see, other people, they go for other things, like, art" Julie replied. She pulled her hair back a into a messy bun, and then let it fall again after she realised that she had already tried to style her hair like that. She had no idea why she was spending so much time worrying about what her hair looked like anyway.   
  
"I know." Rebecca smiled at her friend. Beck was also wondering why her friend was caring so much about the way that she looked. Julie was not the type of girl who really cared about things like that. It didn't worry her what she looked like, but she always looked nice. "The art gallery is a cool place to go for dates as well. I went there once with…Nathan. But that is not important."  
  
"Dates?" Julie turned to Rebecca, who was reclined casually. "Well, cant say I have ever been on one of them there"  
  
"Well you should one time" Rebecca said slyly, smiling at her. "Most people underestimate the romantic setting of a gallery"  
  
Julie shrugged, preoccupied. "I can see why"  
  
"So, who are you going with?" Rebecca asked. She refused to believe that her roommate was going out by herself.   
  
"No one"  
  
Rebecca did not believe her at all, Julie was a horrible liar, but decided not to push it. "So you are getting all dressed up to go to the Art Gallery all by yourself?"  
  
"Yeah." Julie replied. She didn't want to tell her friend that she was going on a date with Matt. It seemed that in the past week that Rebecca had been friends with the Ducks, she already knew the facts of the whole situation with Dean, and Julie was sure that her roommate had an opinion about it all. "Is that a problem?"  
  
"No, no problem at all" Rebecca assured her. "You might get lonely though"  
  
"I will be ok" Julie replied. There was a silence between the two girls, and finally, Julie snapped. "Ok, I am going with Matt"  
  
Rebecca smiled to herself. "I knew that already!"  
  
"You knew that already?" Julie asked, turning to her and glaring softly. "Then what was with the interrogation?"  
  
"Just wanted to know if you would admit it" Rebecca smiled brightly. Julie continued to glare, and wondered if it was time to keep her away from Fulton, her skills of interrogation were getting to good.   
  
"How did you know?" Julie sighed. .   
  
Rebecca shrugged. "Because Dean wouldn't be caught dead in an Art Gallery"  
  
"What makes you think I would go anywhere with Dean" Julie asked her angrily. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before Rebecca started pushing her into a relationship with Dean. Now she had to look out for three of them, Dean, Connie and Rebecca. It seemed none of them would rest until they had driven her insane.   
  
Rebecca held up her hands to get Julie to calm herself, and then she dragged her friend back to the mirror. Both girls watched their reflections while Rebecca quickly braided Julies hair. "Julie. I know how you get when the conversation turns to Dean, so, lets just drop it before you end up hating me"   
  
"I would never hate you Beck" Julie assured her.   
  
"Don't be so sure" Beck smirked. "It could happen"  
  
"If you say so…"  
  
"So, this is, like, a date, with Matt?" Rebecca asked.   
  
"Yeah." Julie rolled her eyes. "A date"  
  
"A date as in he pays, hand holding, him walking you back to our door and kissing type of a date?" Rebecca fished. She was trying her hardest to be a friend and ask interesting questions without offending Julie. It seemed that she was on thin ice. Julie would snap at her if she asked the wrong thing, but Rebecca was interested in what was going on.   
  
"I don't know about all that" Julie replied carefully. "But yeah, it's a date"  
  
"Are you excited?" Rebecca asked her. Julie couldn't help but nod.   
  
"Well" Julie admitted to herself as well as to Rebecca. It was something that she had not really thought of. She had accepted the date with Matt to get her mind off of Dean, but now that she thought about it, she realised that she really was excited about going to the art gallery with Matt. "Yeah, I am excited"  
  
"You really like him, don't you" Rebecca asked.  
  
"I am not sure" Julie admitted, making her way to her bed, sitting. "I am just so confused about it all"  
  
"Then why are you going?" Rebecca asked her.   
  
Julie smiled slyly. "Because I don't want Dean to think that he won"  
  
"So you are just using Matt" Rebecca asked her. She didn't believe that her friend had it in her to use some on like that, just get back at Dean. Julie seemed like such a nice, calm girl, someone who would not use others to get what she wanted.   
  
"Using him?" Julie asked, outraged. "No, not at all"  
  
"You said you didn't like him"   
  
"I didn't say I didn't like him" Julie explained. "I said that I wasn't sure what I felt from him. There is a difference. I do like Matt…"  
  
There was silence between them again, and Julie knew that her roommate was holding her tongue. "Come on, I know you have a comment"  
  
"I said I would say nothing about Dean" Rebecca replied. Julie smirked. When Rebecca had made that promise, she was sure that there would be no way that Rebecca would be able to stand by it. "And I am sticking by that."  
  
"Thank you" Julie smiled, believing her. It was nice to have a conversation about the situation without some one shoving their opinions down her throat.   
  
"When do you think you will be back?" Rebecca asked her.   
  
Julie shrugged. "I have no idea, probably before dinner."  
  
"Does any one else know that you are going?" Rebecca asked, hoping that her questioning would be taken as concern and not prying.   
  
"No." Julie informed her. "I didn't tell anyone, only you"  
  
Julie then realised something. As she watched her friend formulated her next question. Julie turned, hands on hips, and glared at Rebecca. "Oh no you don't"  
  
"Oh no I don't what" Rebecca asked innocently.   
  
"I know the way your mind works." Julie told her, eyeing her suspiciously. "I can see the cogs turning. You are thinking about the quickest way you can get to Dean and Fulton's room"  
  
"No, I am not…" Rebecca replied. She felt like saying that she didn't have to think about the quickest way to their room, she already knew it.   
  
"Yes you are Rebecca, and I need you to promise me you wont go over there and tell Dean" Julie knelt in front Rebecca, taking her hands in hers and practically begging.   
  
"I promise" Rebecca replied sincerely.   
  
"You promise?"  
  
"Julie, I promise. And you can trust me, you know you can" Beck assured her. Julie nodded and stood, straitening her clothing.   
  
"You are right, and I do trust you" Julie replied. She looked at her watch and smiled nervously. "I have to go, I have to meet Matt at the bus stop"  
  
"Well, have a good time" Rebecca stood and hugged her friend before leading her to the door. "And remember, don't do anything I wouldn't do"  
  
"Beck" Julie turned to her in the doorway. "Promise me again that you wont tell Dean"  
  
Rebecca smiled "I promise"   
  
Rebecca watched from the doorway as Julie disappeared down the hallway. Then she closed the door behind her, and made her way to the boys dorms.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"And she just kissed you, just like that"  
  
"Just like that" Dean replied as he opened the door to his dorm room for himself and Fulton. They were just getting back from their last lesson of the day. "Like she had not spent all that time just telling me that it was not going to happen between us"  
  
"Well that is…" Fulton followed his friend in and collapsed onto his bed, searching his mind for the right word. "Odd"  
  
"Odd" Dean exclaimed, kicking off his shoes and moving to throw them out the window (if he was anything, he was a man of his word). "Fulton, it isn't just odd. It is freaky, twilight zone, 'who are you and what have you done with Jules' type shit"  
  
"Yeah" he found himself agreeing.  
  
"I would have kissed her back." Dean admitted as he threw his books to the corner of his room and sat on the floor. " All she had to do was tell me that she was wrong about her feelings and I would have kissed her back"  
  
"If you are waiting for her to admit that she is wrong about something, then you are going to be waiting for a while" Fulton informed his friend, leaning on his side and propping his head up on his hand. "Even if she does love you, she wont cave, you will have to force it out of her. If she doesn't cave of her own free will, then she knows that you own her, and woman don't like to be possessed."  
  
Dean, amazed by his friends knowledge, cocked his head to the side. "Fulton, do you understand women?"  
  
"We are not suppose to." Fulton laughed. "That's the point"  
  
"I thought so" Dean smiled.   
  
"They do it on purpose." Fulton told his friend, who was suddenly extremely interested in what Fulton had to say. "One minute they are hot, next they are cold, they can be happy, then seconds later crying like little babies. It is all part of the little game that they play"  
  
"It's a conspiracy" Dean exclaimed.   
  
Neither boy realised that when they had entered the room, then had not shut the door completely. In the hallway, Beck was standing just out side the door. She was just about to knock on the door, but she decided it would be much more interesting to find out exactly what Fulton thought about women.  
  
"Exactly, a conspiracy" Fulton confirmed. "The women of the world unite against us men to make our lives a living hell"  
  
"How do you know all this?" Dean asked.   
  
"I have been friends with Connie since I was 8, you are not her friend for that long without observing the games she plays with Guy." Fulton replied, and Dean smiled, realising that it was true, a lot could discovered from watching their female team mate.  
  
"Women are evil" Dean shrugged.   
  
"Ahem" Rebecca coughed, deciding now was a good time to make her presence known. She opened the door more and stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. "Is that so?"  
  
Fulton looked at Dean, they had to come up with an excuse, before Rebecca went serial killer on them. "Oh, hey Rebecca, we were just discussing…"  
  
"The defence of…." Dean added, hoping he could pass it off as a hockey conversation.   
  
"Women?" Rebecca grinned, entering the room and taking a seat beside Fulton on his bed. "I heard."  
  
Dean looked at her. "Should we be scared right now?"  
  
"What, because I am a member of the conspiracy?" She asked in a slow clam voice. Both of the boys stared at her, scared, before she laughed at them. "Lets just call me a double agent"  
  
"What?" Dean asked.   
  
"I come with news" She announced, and then turned to Fulton. "Fulton, Did you know that Julie is on a date with Matt as we speak."  
  
"Hey, why are you telling me?" Fulton told her. Beck smiled at Dean but then looked back at Fulton. "Dean is sitting right there!"  
  
"But I promised not to tell Dean" She replied carefully. "So Fulton, he took her to the art gallery"  
  
On the other side of the room, Dean stood and made his way to retrieve his shoes. "Where are you going?"  
  
"To the art gallery" Dean replied casually.   
  
Rebecca stood. "No, I am sorry, I cant let you do that"  
  
"What!" Dean yelled. He could not believe this. Julie was off on a date with Matt. At an Art Gallery. And Beck had come over to tell him (without really telling him, of course), now she was saying that he couldn't go do something about it.   
  
"I promised Julie that I would not tell you" Beck told him.   
  
"Then why did you?" Fulton asked her. She smiled at him.   
  
"I didn't promise that I wouldn't tell Fult." Beck replied, smiling at her own brilliantness. "But if you were to show up at the gallery and break up their date, she would hate the both of us."  
  
"So what, I am just suppose to wait around here like a good little boy and have that geeky little bastard to put the moves on Julie." Dean asked. "I am sorry, I cant do that"  
  
Dean stood and made his way to the door, but Rebecca stood in his way. Dean took a step to the left, and she did to, still blocking his way. Dean took a step to the right, and once again, Rebecca took a step as well. He was just about to barge past her, when Rebecca pressed her hand to his chest and pushed him backwards, practically throwing him back onto his bed. "Sit down"  
  
Fulton almost laughed at his friend, who had just been overpowered by a girl. "Shit, the girl has skill"  
  
Dean sat up, about ready to throw her across the room, but she placed a claming hand on his shoulder. "I know what you plan on doing. But I am not going to let you. If you want out of this room, you have to get past me!"  
  
Dean shrugged her away and stood, towering over the shorter girl. "Not as hard as it sounds"  
  
"Sorry Portman, but you hurt her, I hurt you" Fulton stepped between them. As he stood chest to chest with his best friend, Dean calmed. "That's the way it has to be"  
  
"But I cant just sit here" Dean replied.   
  
Rebecca stepped to the side of the two boys. "Dean, do you trust me?"  
  
"Well…Yeah" Dean admitted. He had only known Rebecca for a little while, but if Fulton and Julie trusted her, then he was sure that he could trust her to.   
  
"Do you trust Fulton" Rebecca asked.   
  
Dean smiled at his best friend and thumped him on the shoulder. "Yeah, of course"  
  
"Good" Rebecca grinned, taking Fulton's arm and pulling him towards the door. "Lets go!"  
  
"Wait, wait, where are we going?" Fulton asked.   
  
"On a date" Rebecca grinned.   
  
"What?" Dean and Fulton both exclaimed together.   
  
"A date" Beck replied. She looked between the two boys, wondering which would be the first to realise what she was talking about. When neither of them understood, she sighed and explained it to them. "You are taking me to the art gallery"  
  
Fulton just let himself be dragged out of the room, and wondered what it was that he was getting himself into.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Fulton stood outside the art gallery, looking up at the three story building. "You know, I really like this place"  
  
"You have been here before?" Rebecca asked, pulling open the door and dragging him into the foyer of the gallery. It felt like she had dragged him all the way here. From the school to the bus stop, then from the bus stop to here.   
  
"Once or twice" he shrugged.   
  
"Didn't expect you to be the type of person to go to an art gallery" Rebecca told him as they walked into the first room filled with paintings and sculptures.   
  
"I am not the type of person to go to an art gallery" Fulton admitted casually.   
  
"Then how come you came here?"  
  
"First time it was an accident" He replied, smiling to himself at the memory. "It was raining and I came in here so I wouldn't get wet"  
  
"Second time?" she asked.   
  
"I don't know, I was just walking past and decided to have a look." He shrugged. "That was a few years ago"  
  
"I don't come here very often either." She told him, pausing to look at one of the paintings quickly. Fulton stopped beside her and tried to work out what it was that they were looking at. It was just a mash of colours to him. "I have only been here once"  
  
"Do you like art?" He asked, tilting his head a little. He still couldn't see anything artistic in the mess of colour. He wondered how much the painting had been brought for, because for that much, he could do something that actually looked like something.   
  
"Sure, why not" Rebecca took his wrist and dragged him over to the next painting. It was just a black canvas with red lines on it. "music is more my thing, but art is good"  
  
"I am no good at art" Fulton admitted. And it was true, if this was what people called art, he was no good at it at all. He could draw a few things, but even they turned out rather strange looking.   
  
"That not true, you do Metal and wood work" She smiled at him.   
  
"Well, that's true" Fulton shrugged, realising that it was all art really. "But I could never paint something like that"  
  
"Doesn't matter, just as long as you are good with your hands." She grinned and walked away from him. Fulton's jaw dropped as he stared after her, and a blush stained his cheeks. Did she just say….  
  
He shook himself out of his thoughts and decided that she was only joking. When he caught up with her on the other side of the room, Rebecca was looking at a painting of a tree. Well, at least he thought it was a tree. "Now this! This, is beauty"   
  
"It is?" Fulton asked.   
  
"Sure" Rebecca smiled. "It is a contempory piece which shows the internal conflict of the artist through parallels."  
  
"Looks like a tree to me" Fulton replied softly.   
  
"It is tree. I was just bullshitting you." Rebecca grinned, and Fulton could not help but laugh. Rebecca was a lot of fun to hang out with. "But it is fun to pretend you know what you are talking about"  
  
Rebecca chuckled and made her way to the next picture. Fulton followed her.   
  
"Is that?" He paused and stared at the painting for a little while. "Is that what I think it is?"  
  
"Depends what you think it is" Rebecca shrugged, trying to sound casual. The painting that they were staring at was a abstract tangle of arms, legs and writhing bodies.   
  
"Two people…" Fulton began.   
  
"Being intimate" Rebecca finished for him. "Yes"  
  
"Umm, wow" he laughed to himself, massaging the back of his neck with his hand and trying to hide his blush.   
  
Rebecca couldn't help but grin. "Do you want some time alone?"  
  
"No" he laughed nervously.   
  
"Come on, there is more to see" Rebecca took his wrist again and tried to pull him away.   
  
"Sure, I will be there in a second" he joked, getting his blushing under control.   
  
"Men" Rebecca smiled and rolled her eyes. "Come on…"  
  
A voice from behind her cut her off. "Rebecca?"  
  
"Oh, hello Julie" Rebecca turned to the sound of the voice and smiled at Julie, who didn't look very happy. "Matt"  
  
"Julie" Fulton began, then he turned to Julie's companion. "Matt"  
  
"What are you doing here?" Julie asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.   
  
"Checking out an exhibition on …" Rebecca began, and her mind had suddenly gone a blank. She knew that Julie had told her which exhibition they were there to see, but now she couldn't remember "Art"  
  
"Abstract" Fulton whispered out of the side of his mouth. Rebecca looked to the banner above them and smiled.   
  
"Thank you Abstract" she grinned.   
  
"Didn't expect you to be one who enjoyed art" matt said to Fulton.   
  
Fulton turned to Rebecca and asked softly. "Did he just insult me?"  
  
"Boys, will you excuse us" Julie smiled brightly at her date for the afternoon, and the boy from her team before taking her roommates arm and dragging her away. "Rebecca, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I am on a date with Fulton" Rebecca smiled. She looked over her shoulder at the taller boy and waved. Fulton laughed and shook his head at her.   
  
Julie crossed her arms across her chest. "A date?"  
  
"Sure, why not." Rebecca grinned.   
  
"Tell me the truth" Julie snapped.   
  
"I did. I am on a date" Rebecca informed her. Julie rolled her eyes.   
  
"At the art gallery, where you knew I would be with Matt. With Dean's roommate" She growled. Rebecca took a small step back. Julie was angry, it was something that she had never seen before, and Beck would be lying if she said that she was not scaring her. "You promised me that you would not tell Dean"  
  
"I didn't tell Dean, I told Fulton. And Dean may have been in the room at the time…" Beck explained weakly, taking another step back as Julie began to take menacing steps towards her.   
  
"Rebecca" Julie growled.   
  
"What, I didn't break the rules, I didn't tell Dean" she laughed nervously.   
  
"I am never going to trust you again" Julie shook her head. There was hurt in her voice. Beck felt horrible.   
  
"Oh, don't be like that" Rebecca began, laying her hand on Julie's shoulder in hopes of getting her to clam down a little. "Please. You told me that you would not hate me"  
  
"Why don't you just leave" Julie replied, looking at the boys who were having what looked like a civil discussion. She didn't know what she was expecting, but then she remembered that it was Fulton, and he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Julie turned back to Rebecca. "I know that you don't really want to be here, this is not a real date for you, and that Dean put the two of you up to it"  
  
"How do you know that I don't want to be here" Rebecca asked. "I very much like art"  
  
Julie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because you make shit up and pretend you know what you are talking about"  
  
"And you think that I wouldn't want to share that with Fult" Rebecca asked her. "And Dean didn't put us up to anything, this was my idea"  
  
"It was your idea to come and spy on me" Julie was outraged. Out of everything, she was sure that she could trust Rebecca.   
  
"We are not spying on you" Rebecca replied sincerely. It had not been her intention to spy on them, just to watch what they were doing to make sure that the date didn't turn into a 'date'. "We are here to check out the art"  
  
Julie shook her head, pushed past Rebecca and crossed back to the boys.   
  
"Julie" Rebecca called after her. She hoped that Julie was not really angry about everything that happened. In hindsight, she was realising that it was not necessarily a good idea to have come here. "Julie, come on, I am sorry"  
  
Julie ignored Rebecca. "Matt, you ready to go back to school"  
  
"Julie, come on, don't be like this" Rebecca told her, stepping up beside Fulton. "It is a big gallery, me and Fult will go explore one way, and you and Matt can go the other"  
  
"No, I don't think so" Julie replied. "Matt?"  
  
"We'll leave" Fulton told Julie.   
  
"What?" Rebecca asked. Did he not know that there were there to sabotage the date?  
  
"Beck and I will leave" Fulton told Julie and Matt. "You two enjoy your date"  
  
He shot an apologetic smile at Julie and then turned to leave the gallery. Rebecca stood, dumbfounded for a few seconds before turning and following him out. But the time she reached the doors, Fulton was already a few steps down the street.   
  
"Fult…Fult, come on…" she called after him. She was shorter then he was, so she practically had to run to catch up with him.   
  
"Come on what Beck." He stopped and turned to her. "What happened to you?"  
  
"Me?" Rebecca asked, confused.   
  
Fulton shook his head sadly. "Beck, I know I have only known you for like, a week, at most, but I thought you were different to this"   
  
"Different to what?" she asked him. Fulton just turned and started off down the street again. Rebecca tried to fall into step with him, but found herself failing.   
  
"You knew that Julie wouldn't be pleasant when she found us here. Why couldn't you just let her have a little time alone with Matt?" Fulton told her.   
  
"I thought you were on Dean's side of all this" Rebecca replied.   
  
"Side?" He stopped and looked at her. "There are no sides Beck. This isn't a war. One duck is in love with another duck, we are all on the same side"  
  
"But you are Dean's best friend." She told him.   
  
"Doesn't mean I am going to stop loving Jules. Dean is like a brother to me, and Julie is like a sister." Fulton replied, walking again. "I want them to be happy. But if Julie doesn't think that she is going to be happy with Dean, I am not going to push them together."  
  
"And you think that that is what I am doing?" Rebecca asked angrily. "Trying to push Jules and Portman together"  
  
"Well, it couldn't be that you were here to spend time with me" He muttered, somewhat bitterly. "I am going back to school"  
  
She had stopped trying to catch up with him, so Rebecca stood in the middle of the sidewalk staring after him. What did he just say? Now she really felt bad, not only had she probably annoyed Dean, she ad broken Julie's trust, and she had used Fulton on this 'date'. Ladies and gentlemen, Rebecca Roman, best friend of the year.   
  
"Fulton, wait." She called after him, and was surprised when he stopped walking. He didn't turn to her, but he stopped walking, so that had to mean something. "I am sorry"  
  
"Just step back and let them sort it all out ok." He turned around. They probably looked funny, having this discussion with so much distance between them, but she couldn't care less what other people thought, she never had, so now would be a silly place to start. "Don't take sides, don't push at it, otherwise it will all explode in your face."  
  
Rebecca closed the gap between them and looked up into his face. She put on her best 'I am sorry' smile, and asked. "Are you annoyed at me?"  
  
"No" Fulton replied. She didn't necessarily believe him.   
  
"Are you sure?" She asked.   
  
"Yeah, I am sure" he replied patiently.   
  
"Then smile at me" Rebecca replied, poking him in the cheek. Fulton smiled at her but it came out more like a combined grimace and smirk. Rebecca laughed. "Like you mean it"  
  
"I do mean it" Fulton laughed back.   
  
"Fulton, I do like spending time with you" She replied softly, taking his hand in hers. His hand was at least twice the size of his, they were strong and rough, and Rebecca could not help but think how nice they felt. "Really, I do"  
  
"I like spending time with you to" Fulton admitted, taking her other small hand in his larger one. It was an alien feeling for him to be holding a girls hand. It didn't happen very often. And he had big, rough, boy hands. Hands that were calloused from wood shop and hockey. She had girls hands, musicians hands. Small, delicate. With long fingers and neatly trimmed nails.   
  
"You are a really good friend" Rebecca told him, looking at their joined hands.   
  
"You are the first friend I have had who hasn't been a duck" Fulton admitted.   
  
"Really" She asked, pulling away from him and running off down the street. She turned to call back to him. "That's kind of sad"  
  
"Oh, you did not just call me sad" he replied and chased her to the bus stop. When he got there, she was standing on the bench.   
  
"Ah, Fult, I take it back, I take it back" she held up her hands as a surrender. Fulton went to grab her, but she jumped off of the bench. His arms closed around nothingness.   
  
He growled. "Come back here, you little…"  
  
"Little what?" she asked, standing back on the bench again. She held her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, waiting for him to finish his insult.   
  
"I don't know, all I know it that you are little" Fulton told her.   
  
"Everyone is little compared to you." Rebecca laughed. Where she was standing on the bench, she towered over him, but when they stood beside each other on the ground, he was at least a foot taller then him. "What are you, seven foot, eight foot?"  
  
"Six four and a half" he replied proudly.   
  
"I am only five four" Rebecca replied sadly.   
  
Fulton grinned. "Thus me calling you little"  
  
"Good Fulton" She smiled, reaching out to pat his head. Fulton growled playfully at her before grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. Rebecca began kicking and giggling. "Ah, bad Fulton!"  
  
"Are you ticklish?" he asked her, digging his fingers into the curve of her stomach and tickling her. Rebecca began squirming.   
  
"Ah, no Fulton, let me go, really, please!" She laughed. She began hitting him in the back and kicking. Fulton was still laughing and tickling her.   
  
Fulton laughed and lowered her to her feet in front of him. Now that his attention had been brought to it, he realised how much taller he was then her. It was amusing, and as Rebecca looked up at him, he could not help but laugh. Beck slugged him in the stomach and he doubled over, laughing. Beck was laughing to.   
  
He straightened himself again so that he was standing, and looked down at her. Without even thinking, Fulton reached out and pulled Rebecca into his arms, hugging her. Rebecca smiled and wrapped her arms around him. She gigged when she realised that she could hardly fit her arms around him. And he looked down at her and smiled also.   
  
His hand wound in her soft hair, the strands running gently over his fingers. It felt nice to hold her like this, he realised. Before he could understand what he was doing, before he could stop himself, Fulton was pulling her closer to her, dropping his head to gain access to her lips.   
  
Before he could, however, Rebecca pressed a hand to his chest and pushed him away gently. "Um, the bus is coming."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Shout outs -   
  
Kayla - It is good to know that you are going to keep reading, I love having loyal readers and I hate annoying them by doing things like that. But I know that you are probably throwing a fit now as well. You said you are slightly fond of Portman, well, I am to. It is hard not to be. And what you said about Fulton and Rebecca being sweet together, I agree. Rebecca was actually only going to be a small character that I was going to use in that one chapter where she breaks up the kiss, but then I thought about it, and now she is pretty special to me. And to Fulton to, it seems.   
  
Bloody Raine - hi, I am not sure, but I think that I only got half your review, but I agree with you, who would give up Dean for a science geek!  
  
Cake Eaters girly 99 - Vases' materialise out of no where in your house, cool. I wish they did here. But I suggest that you don't throw to many more. You don't like Matt either? Dang, I was trying to make him nice so that people would feel torn, but I guess that that is not happening. But its cool, hate him to your hearts content!  
  
Enchantress - Wow, a new reviewer. Thank you for reading my story, and thank you for liking it. I hope you keep reading.   
  
Pixie13 - I hope your tests are going well. But now a little maths lesson. According to you Matt = Bad. Therefore Jules + Dean = Good?. Anyway. Wonderfullest isn't a word? Since when? Anyway, I hope that you have more time to write a little more this review.   
  
Nikkiloola - You know, I didn't actually think of it until you said it, but it is kind of a turning point in the relationship. He has told her that he will back off, so now it is up to Julie to decide. Yeah, and Fulton blushes. It is something the I actually look for in a guy, he can be the biggest guy in the world, but if he blushes, then I will hug him. It is like a rule for me.   
  
Anyway, review. 


	15. Just trying to be friends

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 15  
  
Disclaimer - Don't own them.  
  
Notes - I am a lot happier with this chapter, I hope you like it. Review and tell me.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Julie entered her room and threw her keys, they landed on her desk, slid across the clean surface, and hit the wall, sliding down between the wall and the side of the desk. Julie didn't care, she was to angry. As she paced, she glared at Rebecca, who was laying on her bed, her head buried in one of her pillows.   
  
"I am stuck somewhere between yelling at you, and giving you the silent treatment."  
  
"Julie" Rebecca began, rolling over to look at her roommate, who was obviously angry. Julie was angry at her, but she was to preoccupied to care. There was to much on her mind. "I said I am sorry"  
  
"You showed up on my date" Julie exclaimed angrily. Beck collapsed back and stared at the ceiling, giving Julie time to continue her rant. "Beck, that was my date with Matt, I would never interfere with your dates"  
  
"I am sorry" Rebecca mumbled.   
  
"I cant believe that you did that Beck" Julie glared. "Really!"  
  
"Jules"  
  
"I mean, how would you feel if I did that to you. You would hate me" Julie practically yelled as she continued to pace the small amount of carpet between the two beds.   
  
"And I deserve your hate" Rebecca admitted, sounding about as depressed as she felt. "But can you just bitch at me later, please?"  
  
"What's the matter?" As much as Julie was annoyed at Beck, she could see that something had happened to her to make her act this way. She let all her rage towards her friend fall and crossed to her bed, sitting on the edge and stroking the other girls hair. "Beck?"  
  
"He tried to kiss me" she sighed.   
  
"Who, Fulton?" Julie asked, and then stopped to kick herself. Who else would it be? "Right, of course it was Fulton"  
  
Rebecca sat up, hugging her pillow to herself. "I pushed him away"  
  
"Why?" Julie asked. From what she had seen, Rebecca and Fulton had been getting on like a house on fire, but then again, that could have been the problem. "What happened?"  
  
"It was just to soon. I mean, I only broke up with Nathan on Monday. It is only Thursday" Beck replied sadly.   
  
"I understand."  
  
"But, I cant shake the feeling that this changes everything" Rebecca replied sadly. "What if he doesn't want to be my friend because he thinks that I rejected him"  
  
"There is one thing that you will learn about Fulton. He is as loyal as hell." Julie smiled, kicking off her shoes and pulling her feet under her on the bed. "He is like a dog that you try to leave at the Grand Canyon, but then two days later he shows up at your front door, all covered in mud and twigs"  
  
Even though she chuckled a little, Beck frowned also. "Don't be mean to Fult"  
  
"I am not being mean, I am stating a fact. He is like a big lovable puppy" Julie replied, standing and crossing to her closet to find a different shirt to wear to dinner. She could get away with keeping the same jeans on, but she would have to changer her shirt, otherwise it would be to obvious to the other Ducks that she had gone out somewhere, and then she would have to answer some pretty awkward questions, since it seemed that everyone had an opinion on her private life. "He will find his way back to you Rebecca. It may take a few days, and his pride may be hurt a little, because lets face it, he is a guy, but nothing will have changed."  
  
"Do you think that if I explained to him why I pushed him away he will forgive me?" Rebecca called as Julie disappeared into their bathroom to change.   
  
"You could" Julie replied, exiting the bathroom and throwing her dressy shirt in the washing pile. "But I am sure that he understands. Another thing, he is not as dumb as he looks."  
  
"I know, he is not dumb at all." Rebecca replied, then threw herself back onto her bed, sighing and grinning. "He is smart, and sweet, and funny, and loving, and loyal, and good looking"  
  
"And you are falling in love with Fulton" Julie sang.  
  
"Love is a little strong. I didn't even love Nathan and I dated him for a year" Rebecca told Julie softly. Beck seemed pensive all of a sudden. "How can I fall in love with one boy in less than a week"  
  
"Because it is Fulton" Julie replied. "How can you not fall in love with a man like that."  
  
"You didn't" Beck sighed.   
  
"Because that is different" Julie informed her. "From day one, he has been a brother to me…like all the other boys"  
  
Beck grinned and mumbled. "Then what you feel for Dean must be incest"  
  
"What?" Julie asked.   
  
"Nothing" Beck shrugged innocently  
  
"Ok" Julie replied. She knew that her friend had said something, and she was also sure that she had heard the word 'Dean' in there. She felt better just to ignore her. "But just play it cool with Fulton. If he likes you as much as I think that he does, he will stand by you as your friend until you are sure you want something more"  
  
"You really think Fulton likes me?" Rebecca asked her. Julie smiled. Beck was usually so full of confidence that it was amazing that she was so unsure of his feelings for her. Anybody could see that what ever attraction that Rebecca had for Fult, Fult was returning.   
  
"Beck, how could he not." Julie hugged her friend as she assured her. "You will make each other happy"  
  
"Thanks Julie" Beck smiled.   
  
"But Beck, as much as I love you as a sister, I want you to know that if you ever do anything to hurt Fulton, I will have to hurt you." She told him, still hugging her. Rebecca grinned, she knew the way the Ducks were. Mess with one, the rest will kill you. "Ok, no hard feelings"  
  
"Ok" she smiled.   
  
Julie stood and put her shoes on again. "You coming down to dinner"  
  
"Either that or I don't eat." Rebecca stood and found her own shoes, pulling them on quickly. They got as far as the door before Rebecca stopped Julie again. "Julie, does this mean I am forgiven for crashing your date?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Luis was shovelling food into his mouth using the fork that he was holding in his right hand, and was holding a book in his left, reading it quickly.   
  
"Luis, what are you doing?" Guy asked him as he sat across from him at the table. Connie lowered her tray to the table as well and sat in the seat beside Guy.   
  
"Studying" he replied, waving in their general direction with his fork. A piece of mashed potato fell off of his fork and landed with a splat on the table, but Luis was to involved in his reading to care about it. Guy and Connie, who were surprised by Luis's reply, turned to Ken for explanation.   
  
"I know, I am scared to" Ken admitted, staring at Luis suspiciously. "I room with him, and I have never seen him studying"  
  
"Luis, why are you studying history, the test was today" Averman asked, sitting beside Guy and quickly looking at the title of the book. "No point in studying now"  
  
"Maybe he is checking the answers that he got wrong" Adam replied from Luis' other side. When everybody gave him blank stares, Adam looked at his plate. "What, you guys don't do that?"  
  
"I do" Connie replied. Adam smiled at her.   
  
Russ rolled his eyes. "Adam, you are now officially a girl in my book"  
  
"Shut up" Adam snapped at him. The others all laughed as he turned back to Luis. "Now, why are you studying"  
  
"I have a date" he told them absently.   
  
"With who?" Averman asked. "Helen of Troy?"  
  
Guy laughed with the others who were all chuckling at Averman's jokes. "Shouldn't you be reading 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' or something?"  
  
"What, just because you did!" Luis looked at him over the top of his history book.   
  
"Only because Connie asked me to" Guy defended himself.   
  
"Is it good?" Goldberg asked him.   
  
"Goldberg!" The whole table laughed. Goldberg shook his head.   
  
"What, it is an honest question" Goldberg shrugged.   
  
"I didn't really read it" Guy replied, looking at his plate in front of him. Connie narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "I just made shit up, Connie bought it, so I was happy"  
  
"Once again, back to what we was talking about." Ken turned to his friend. He had to admit that although this was not the first time that Luis had done something to impress a girl, it was the first time he had done something like studying. "Luis, why are you studying ancient history to go on a date?"  
  
"He is going out with my tutor." Charlie smiled, taking a seat beside Adam. "Wants to seem sophisticated."   
  
"Oh my, Mendoza has hit a new low" Guy rolled his eyes at the speed skater.   
  
"I can go lower" Luis replied quickly. "But when I get the girl, who will have the last laugh"  
  
"We will, when she dumps you a week later" Connie told him.   
  
"You are so mean." Luis glared playfully at her. "You look all sweet and innocent Connie, but you really are a bitch…"  
  
"She's a what" Guy asked.   
  
"Beautiful girl" Luis covered quickly. "You are a very lucky guy, Guy"  
  
"Don't let the tutor hear you say that" Russ replied. "Otherwise you will be studying for nothing"  
  
"Not necessarily, he might pass the next test" Ken laughed.   
  
"You better start passing, or you will be…" Goldberg added  
  
"Riding the pine pony" the rest of the ducks chorused. A few people at other tables looked across to find out what was going on, but when they realised it was just another discussion from the Duck's table, they went back to their own dinners.   
  
"Don't worry about me. Worry about Russ and his C in musical theory" Luis replied, turning the page in his book and continuing to absorb the information.   
  
"Hey, leave it be alright" Russ laughed. He had only gotten a C on one exam, so it was not enough to pull him back, but if he did it again, it would be a problem. "I am working on it"  
  
At the edge of the group, Fulton, who had been quiet for most of the meal, turned to the group. "Pass the salt"  
  
"Fult, that is like, the first time you have spoken tonight." Charlie looked down the table at his friend. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Headache" Fulton lied quickly. It wasn't completely a lie, he did have a headache, from worrying that he had stuffed things up with Rebecca.   
  
On the bus home he had realised why she had pushed him away. Rebecca had dated Nathan Wesley for almost a year, and it had only ended between them less then a week ago. It was to soon for him to be making moves on her. He felt like such a jerk.   
  
Adam spoke up. "I have some pain killers in my room if you need them"  
  
"No, I can deal." He smiled at the other boy quickly. "Thanks anyway Banksie"  
  
At his side, Julie leant a little closer to him and softly said "She had a reason"  
  
"I know" Fulton sighed. "I completely forgot about Nathan"  
  
"I am glad you realised it wasn't about you" Julie told him.   
  
"Does she hate me?" Fulton asked her softly. Julie smiled.   
  
"She thinks that you hate her" she replied. Fulton was surprised.   
  
"Why? I am the one who was a jerk" Fulton replied quickly.   
  
Julie could not help but grin at her friend. "You two are so sweet"  
  
"And what does that mean?" Fulton asked.   
  
"Beck was worried that she would lose you because you would think she had rejected you, and you think that you will lose her because you overstepped the bounds."  
  
"Could you let her know that she wont lose me because of that" Fulton asked Julie. It was more like begging, and Julie thought that it was really sweet. "I have never felt this connected to some one…"  
  
"Maybe you can tell her that." Julie grinned, poking her friend in the side.   
  
"I will" Fulton dipped his head to hide his blush. "One day"  
  
Julie smiled at her friend and his adorable blushing habit, that he always tried to hide from people. Most people saw him blushing, but of course, due to his size, and the fact that he could very easily beat them up, no one ever said anything about it to him.   
  
"Are you mad at me for crashing the date?" Fulton asked after he had gotten his blush under control again.   
  
"Lots of heavy duty grovelling will make it all better" Julie replied, smiling.   
  
"Just as long as you don't hate me" Fulton grinned.   
  
Julie wrapped an arm around Fulton's shoulders (well, she tried to, didn't work very well since he was bigger then her) "It is impossible to hate you"  
  
"Isn't that the truth!" Dean grinned, putting his tray on the table and taking a seat across from them. He paused when he realised who he had sat down in front of, but there was nothing he could do. It would be to rude for him to move seats now. "Hey Julie"  
  
"Hi Dean" She smiled politely. "How are you?"  
  
"Good, thanks" Dean told her, and then paused, dropping his fork. "Actually bad"  
  
"Bad?" Julie asked.   
  
"I need your help" Dean began. "Please"  
  
"With what?" Julie asked suspiciously. She would not put it past him to have planned some type of set up. Something like locking them in a room together until she broke and told him that she loved him.   
  
"Study Shakespeare with me tonight" Dean asked her. "Please"  
  
"Is that such a good idea?" Julie looked at him. Ok, so it wasn't a plan to lock them in a room or anything. But it was a plan to spend time together. As much as Julie wanted to be his friend again, she didn't know if there were at a point in their friendship where she could study with him. Especially studying something like Romeo and Juliet.   
  
"Julie. I told you I would back off, and I will" Dean informed her, and Julie smiled, believing him. "You want us to be friends, I do to, so please, come help out your friend, because he spent the whole afternoon trying to work out what this shit means"  
  
"Ok, I will help you" Julie replied. Dean smiled.   
  
"Thank you" He sighed happily. "Thank you, thank you, thank you"  
  
"I will come by your room after dinner" Julie told him, turning back to her food.   
  
"I owe you big time Jules"  
  
"Don't worry about owing me." She dismissed. "I am being selfish, because I don't want to get up on as stage with a crappy leading man…"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"Dude, you are going to leave, right?"  
  
"Leave?" Fulton looked from where he was sitting at his desk, flicking little balls of paper across the room and onto Dean's desk. "You are just studying"  
  
"Yeah, but…" Dean stopped what he was doing (kicking his dirty clothes, books, magazines and miscellaneous crap under his bed and then pulling his comforter down to cover the mess. ) "I don't want you to see how much I suck at this."  
  
"You don't suck man" Fulton replied. "You are an awesome actor"  
  
"Only because I read the script about a thousand times and read all the cliff notes cheat sheets before I perform in class." Dean replied. It was nice that Fulton and all the other Ducks had so much faith in him, it was amazing that some one like Meredith had had enough faith in him to give him the role in the first place, but now, he was beginning to feel like a fraud. He didn't understand things, and he had less then two months to get it all perfect. "And that first day, Julie and I ripped the play apart and put it back together in our own words. That was why I did so well that day"  
  
"Ok, I will leave." Fulton stood. "I will go hang out with Ken. With Luis on a date and him being newly single, it will be cool to catch up with him"  
  
Dean looked at him. "I thought you would go hang out with Beck"  
  
"I could, but I don't know if I will be very welcome over there today" Fulton shrugged.   
  
"Why?" Dean asked him, and then rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you managed to screw things up with her already"  
  
"Not screw them up" Fulton explained. "Just maybe set back proceedings a little. But it is ok. I will just give her tonight and then apologise tomorrow"  
  
"I don't know how you stay single so long man" Dean shook his head, chuckling. "I thought that girls loved that whole sentimental shit"  
  
"They just don't expect it of me, is all" Fulton replied, opening the door. On the other side was Julie, her hand ready to knock on the door. "Hey Julie"  
  
"Hi guys" She smiled brightly. Then she turned to Fulton, who was obviously on his way out. "You're going?"  
  
"Yeah, um…" Fulton turned and picked up a random book. He didn't want it to seem like he had been kicked out of his room by his own friend, because Julie would jump to conclusions, and they would, of course, be the wrong ones. "Studying with Ken tonight"  
  
"Ok, well, have fun" Julie smiled and watched him leave. Then, she mumbled to herself. "Why do I feel like I have been set up"  
  
"Not a set up Jules." Dean smiled nervously at her. "Come in, sit. We can even keep the door open if you don't trust me not to ravish your body."  
  
Julie smirked. "I trust you Dean"  
  
"Good" he grinned. "Sit"  
  
"Fetch. Play dead" Julie muttered. Dean laughed.   
  
"Sorry" he replied, sitting on the floor between the beds. He expected Julie to sit on one of the beds, or at one of the desks, but she sat on the floor in front of him. "So…"  
  
"So…" Julie began, distractedly. "What section do you want to work on?"  
  
"I don't mind" Dean shrugged. "I am kind of floundering with the whole thing"  
  
"Well, lets work on the orchard scene." Julie replied, pulling her folded playbook out of the beck pocket of her jeans. Dean reached for his that was sitting on the bedside table, and flipped to the right page. "Both our characters have a lot to say there"  
  
"I hate this scene." He told her. "Lots of words which mean I love you"  
  
"Sometimes you need all the words to get it across" Julie shrugged.   
  
"I don't think so" Dean replied. "Why use ten words when you can say it in three"  
  
"It is sometimes nice to hear the emotions behind it."  
  
Dean sighed. "If it was true love, Juliet should know how Romeo feels"  
  
"How would Juliet know if Romeo doesn't tell her" Julie asked.   
  
"If their connection is as instantaneous as they say it is, she shouldn't need words" Dean replied, skimming the words before him absently. "The saying is love at first sight, not love after first conversation."  
  
"I don't believe in love at first sight" Julie shrugged. Dean looked up at her, amazed. "Love comes in segments"  
  
"Segments?"  
  
"Sure, you fall in love with a part of a person first." Julie told him. "Not with the whole thing"  
  
"Is that really what you think?"  
  
"Yeah" Julie commented, and then decided that she should explain herself. "People fall in love with some one physically, that is love at first sight. Falling in love with some ones body. Falling in love with their soul, that is completely different."  
  
"That is really depressing that you think that way Jules" Dean told her.   
  
Julie couldn't help but laugh. "And you are some big romantic?"  
  
"Sure, why not" Dean replied nonchalantly. "I grew up with the same stories you did. Princesses locked in towers, waiting for the fair prince to come and set them free. I am just waiting to find the right princess."  
  
Julie just stared at her friend, who was reading the play silently. "You are so full of surprises"  
  
"I can deal with that" he looked up at her and grinned. "Better then you telling me that I am full of shit"  
  
"So, you are a Romeo in enforcers clothing" Julie asked, stretching her legs out in front of her.   
  
"I actually think that Romeo would be an enforcer" Dean shrugged. "Honestly, if Romeo and Juliet were in our time, Romeo would play hockey or football, and Juliet would be a cheerleader from an opposing school, because that would be the only reason that two teenagers would hate each other."  
  
"Why cant it be the other way around?" Julie asked.   
  
"Why cant what be the other way around?" Dean looked up at her.   
  
"Why cant Juliet be an athlete and Romeo be…" Julie began.   
  
"A brain?" Dean finished for her.   
  
"I was going to say cheerleader" Julie corrected. "But sure, Romeo could be a brain. Or a criminal, or a loser, a moron…"  
  
"Then Juliet could be a bitch" Dean told her. "Or a slut, an innocent, a ghost. Juliet could be a street kid for all we know"  
  
"Romeo could be a street kid as well"  
  
"Romeo could be the aggressor" Dean said softly, as though he was unsure of what he was about to say. Julie stared at him, and Dean grew more confident in his theory. "Think about it. What if Romeo is really the bad guy in all this. Where does it say that Tybalt is the bad guy?"  
  
"Well…"  
  
"No, it is assumed that he just wants to split up Romeo and Juliet" Dean replied, stopping Julie for looking in her book for a certain passage that said Tybalt was evil, he was the villain of the play, so that would have to be in there somewhere. "How do we know that Tybalt isn't like Fulton"  
  
"Fulton?" Now Julie was confused. What the hell did Fulton have to do with it?  
  
"A nice guy who just wants to look after the girls that mean a lot to him" Dean replied. "What if Romeo was the bad guy all along?"  
  
"Tybalt killed Mercutio"  
  
"How do we know that wasn't an accident?" Dean asked. "Fighting some one with a sword in your hand. How many times have you accidentally poked some one with a pen, or something else that you were holding?"  
  
"Then why did he run?" Julie asked.   
  
"Wouldn't you?" Dean asked her. "Tybalt was scared. No matter who his uncle was, murder was murder. Whether it was manslaughter or murder, he killed Mercutio. And then Romeo killed him. It was no problem for him to cold bloodedly hunt down Tybalt and murder him"  
  
"He did it out of revenge" Julie answered. "You would do the same thing. If some one killed Fulton, you would hunt them down"  
  
"You are right" Dean admitted. "if anyone was to mess with any of the ducks, I will at least cause some bodily harm. It is human nature, but either way, I don't think Romeo really had to think twice about killing Tybalt."  
  
"Would you?" Julie asked. "Think twice, I mean."  
  
"I would have a moments hesitation." Dean began slowly. "I am not a murderer"  
  
"But Romeo felt remorse for his actions" Julie replied.   
  
"Only because his banishment means he wont be in Verona with Juliet anymore." Dean told Julie, who couldn't help but admit that some of his points did make sense. She could not believe it, she was having a intellectual conversation about literature with Dean. "He cares more about her then his crime"  
  
"So you think that Tybalt is the good guy?" Julie confirmed.   
  
"Not 'good' just 'misunderstood'" Dean suggested. "Why, do you think I am wrong?"  
  
"No, it is just…" Julie tried to explain what it was that she was thinking, but knew that she would have issues with getting it across and making it sound innocent, so she decided to just go with. "That was not the way it was written"  
  
"How do you know" Dean asked suddenly. "It could be that he was written differently, but after all these years of acting him as a murderous jerk, that is what he has become"  
  
"How did you come up with this?" Julie asked, amazed.   
  
"I read a few notes on the play, other peoples college papers and stuff, just to see if it would help me understand" Dean admitted. "All it did is confuse me more, because now I have all these different ways of looking at it, and I don't know which is right"  
  
"I am sure that they are all right, just different" Julie replied, and Dean smiled. "But it is up to Meredith, the director, as to which way it all turns out. So I think you should just play it as Romeo being the good guy."  
  
"You probably think I am crazy, right?" Dean asked her.   
  
"Crazy?" Her jaw dropped. How could he be crazy for having an opinion. "Not at all. Sometimes it is good to have these sort of conversations. I like having intelligent conversations…"  
  
Dean sighed. "Like the conversations you have with Matty?"  
  
"Yeah" Julie was hoping that she could get though the night without someone bringing up Matt. Without Dean bringing up Matt. He knew about the date, so he would be able to make it all awkward if he wanted to.   
  
"Does Matty Boy like hockey?" Dean interrupted the silence.   
  
"Please don't call him Matty Boy" Julie replied softly.   
  
"Sorry" Dean surrendered. "Matthew. Does Matthew like hockey"  
  
"He doesn't follow it" Julie replied. She saw Dean's jaw drop, and knew that under it all, he was dying to say something. "Go on, say it, you have a comment"  
  
"Of course I do" Dean grinned. "But I promised I would back off"  
  
Julie could not help but smile at him. "Thank you, that's sweet"  
  
"That's me, I am sweet" Dean laughed.   
  
"So, are we going to study any?" Julie asked, stretching her hands about her head. It had been a long day, full of surprises, and although she would have liked to spend time here, with Dean, with his new no pushing, friends only attitude, it was getting a little late.   
  
"What time is it?" He asked, turning to the clock on the bedside table. "Half an hour till curfew, would we get much work done?"  
  
"Probably not" Julie smiled, stretching out on the floor, her back on the carpet. She looked to the side. "I have always been curious as to what boys keep under their bed"  
  
"That is Fulton's bed, so don't expect anything exciting" Dean smiled. Julie lifted the comforter a little and smiled. It was true, there wasn't much there. His skates. A pile of old hockey magazines. And an old suitcase.   
  
"Then I am going to have to have a look under your bed then" Julie smiled. Dean chuckled.  
  
"No, I cant let you do that!" he replied, sliding down to lay on his side, blocking the access to the underworld of his bed where all the rooms mess was stuffed.   
  
"Why, is it a mess?" Julie smiled, moving a little closer. "Are you a slob Dean Portman?"  
  
"Not a slob, just not as neat as I could be" he replied nonchalantly. Julie grinned and then jumped up on his bed.   
  
"Or maybe that is where you hide your teddy bear." Julie teased. "The one that you cant live without?"  
  
"Nah, he is over there on the desk" Dean replied. Julie looked to his desk to see a brown teddy bear sitting in the corner of it. She recognised it from the Team USA memorabilia that they all had. It was a teddy bear with skates and a little team USA jersey on it. She was sure that if she turned it around, it would have Portman on the back. The team had all laughed at how corny the collectors items were for the Goodwill Games, but everyone had them. Julie was sure that hers (a white bear with a goalies helmet and the name Gaffney on the back was back in Maine on her bed). Not many took pride of place on some ones school desk though.   
  
"Then if you have nothing to hide" Julie grinned and tried to push him away from where he was blocking her way. It was good to just laugh with him like this again.   
  
"Julie." Dean laughed as she pushed him away. "Julie really there is nothing to see."  
  
"Just a quick look" she smiled. Dean sighed and moved away, but didn't realise that Julie was leaning her weight on his as she was hanging off the side of the bed. When he moved, she came crashing down onto him.   
  
He caught her the best that he could. Julie laughed nervously as she realised that she was once again within a close proximity to Dean, and he was once again touching her.   
  
"Well…" Julie smiled and pushed herself away from him casually. "I should go"  
  
She was almost gone by the time that he managed to call out to her. "Julie, I am sorry"   
  
"No, don't be sorry, It was my fault" Julie dismissed. "I will talk to you tomorrow"  
  
Dean sighed heavily and collapsed back onto the floor. And that was the way Fulton found him when he came back to the room.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Shout outs.   
  
Kayla - Holy doolie girl, that is a long review. I hope this chapter satisfies the hunger. You little fit throwing made me laugh. For the love of everything pure huh? I will have to remember that. I am glad I didn't drop Beck's character either. She went from being a name, to some one who interrupted kisses, to someone who smiled at Fult in the hallway, and that day, that Rebecca told me that she had to smile at Fulton was the day I realised that Fulton and Rebecca were already together in my mind, they just had to get there in the fic. And I don't mind long reviews, in fact, I love them, so keep it up.   
  
Bloody Raine - I am glad you liked Becks sneakiness. I think that that would be something I would do to. Making sure that Dean and Fulton were in the same room before telling Fult the big secret.   
  
KShyne99 - Thank you for your review, and also for you're your advice. I know it is unnatural, but it is something that my old English teacher used to shove down our throats "Don't abbreviate." I know it is not really an abbreviation, but I guess in my mind I just automatically tells my hands to type the whole word.   
  
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - Wouldn't it be cool if things did just materialise. Snap fingers. Ice Cream. Snap fingers. Lots of reviews. Snap fingers. Fulton Reed and Dean Portman at our beck and call. That would be the life. I laughed out loud when you asked if Julie is a retard. No, she isn't. She just doesn't know what she wants.   
  
Linnie22 - More play practice, you got it. It was actually quite odd, to begin with, I was going to have everything happening in the play practices. And then I thought, well, we have to have a hockey practice, and then a hockey game, and next think I know, I was straying away from the classroom and talking about creepy teachers. My Fulton is awesome? I think Fulton is awesome in general. I love Fult, he is so…fantastic.   
  
DuckHockey00214496 - I am glad you liked that chapter, I had so much fun writing it.   
  
Lya37 - I agree that not all people who are interested in science are geeks. I was categorised as a geek at school, but for some reason, I was a cool geek. Me and my lab partner used to blow things up (it got to a point where the class would only do experiments at times when they knew for sure that me and my lab partner were going to be absent.) But I love science. 


	16. It started over breakfast

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 16  
  
Disclaimer - Just borrowing them, messing with their heads, and giving them back.   
  
Notes - A bit of Shakespeare in this chapter, I hope it works out well.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
" 'I take thee at they word: call me but love and I will be new baptised; Henceforth I will never be Romeo.' " Dean said as he added sugar to his bowl of cereal and absently mixed it in. On the other side of the table, Julie was buttering a piece of toast while she found where he was readying from.   
  
" 'What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night. So stumblest on my counsel?' " She replied, reading from her playbook before taking a quick bite of her toast.   
  
" 'By a name I know not how to tell the who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, because it is an enemy to thee; had I it written, I would tear the word' " Dean replied, shovelling some one his cereal into his mouth.   
  
Beside them at the table, the other ducks were all staring at their friends, shocked. From before the two of them had even entered the dining hall, they had their playbooks out. When a few of the ducks had passed them in the hall, they didn't even stop in their practicing to say good morning. Still reading their lines, together they had crossed to get their breakfast, and then crossed to the Ducks table, settled, and continued reading. The others were watching them, amazed.   
  
"What did he just say?" Dwayne asked Russ, who was sitting at his side. Russ shrugged, and went back to watching the two of them who were showing an amazing amount of dedication to the play.   
  
"That he is not going to tell her his name because it will admit that they cant be together" Dean told Dwayne quickly, ate a mouthful of food and then turned to Julie. "Your line Julie"  
  
" 'My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words. Of that tongues utterance, yet I know the sound: Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?' " Julie read the next part of the script.   
  
A few more Ducks made their way to the table, but before they could even say their good mornings, they were cut off, and watching Dean and Julie.   
  
" 'Neither, fair saint, it either thee dislike' " Dean replied.   
  
" 'How camest thou hither? Tell me and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, this place is death, considering who though art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here.' " Julie read.   
  
" 'With loves light wings I o'er-perch these walls; for stony limits could not hold love out, and what love can do that dares love attempt, therefore thy kinsmen is no let to me' " Dean continued, speaking casually and eating his breakfast when ever he could. He wanted to continue with the beat of their reading, but If there was one thing he hated, it was soggy cereal.   
  
" 'If they do see thee, they will murder thee' "  
  
Dean put down his spoon and picked up his book in order the read the next line which he had unfortunately splashed milk onto. " 'Alack, there lies more peril in thy eye than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet, and I am proof against their enmity.' "  
  
Julie chuckled at the look on Dean's face as he tried to read the milk smudged writing. " 'I would not for the world they saw thee here' "  
  
Neither Dean nor Julie had realised that Meredith had approached the table and was watching her students with the same look of shock and amazement as the other Ducks were. Dean continued with his next line. " 'I have nights cloak to hide me from their sight; and but thou love me, let them find me here: my life were better ended by their hate then death prorogued , waiting thy love.' "  
  
" 'By who's direction found'st thou out this place?' " Julie replied.   
  
" 'By love, who first did prompt me to enquire; he lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot, yet wert thou as far as the fast shore wash'd the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise' "  
  
"What are you doing?" Meredith asked, making half the table jump and the other half laugh at the first half that had jumped. Dean and Julie, after getting over the shock of being interrupted in the middle of their reading, looked at Meredith and shrugged.   
  
"What does it look like we are doing?" Dean asked.   
  
Meredith smiled. "But, over breakfast?"  
  
"Sure, why not" Dean shrugged. A few jaws around the table dropped. Dean Portman, studying over breakfast? It was time to alert the media.   
  
"You are learning the play, over breakfast?" Meredith replied, explaining it slowly, making sure that Dean understood each word. Dean rolled his eyes at the teacher, and Julie smiled.   
  
"No better time" He informed Meredith, turning back to his breakfast. When he realised it was soggy, his disregarded it. "With all the crap that we have to learn, we may as well learn it when we can"  
  
"You wanted us to be good, right?" Julie added.   
  
"But I never expected you to practice" Meredith replied. "During breakfast."  
  
"Dedication" Charlie smiled from the other end of the table. "It is the key to being successful at anything"  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Charlie Conway, our very own after school special" Russ mumbled.   
  
"Shut up Tyler" Charlie replied. Russ grinned at the captain.   
  
Meredith reached over Dean's shoulder and plucked his copy of the play from his hand, flipping through the pages quickly. As she did, she absently asked the two actors. "Are you just reading, or are you starting to learn your lines"  
  
"Learn our lines?" Dean asked her.   
  
Meredith nodded and handed back the book. "So that you can recite them"  
  
"Recite them?" Dwayne asked, shocked. A few others in the group looked scared and even a little sick. "You mean like, with out the books"  
  
"Guys, this is going to be a highly professional production." Meredith replied, looking from each student to the next. "You will have a prompter, but no one will have a script on stage"  
  
"Oh man, we are in deep shit" Averman mumbled, collapsing forward onto the table.   
  
"For once, I agree with Averman" Adam sighed. "Crash and Burn"  
  
"I think we can do it" Guy smiled confidently. The others all shot him death glares.   
  
"Germaine, you have like, no lines in this production." Luis growled at him, digging in his beg to pullout his own play book. It had not occurred to him that this was for real, that it was serious, and he was yet to start learning his lines.   
  
"That's not true." Guy replied quickly, watching as all of his team mates dug around in their bags for their play books. "I say a fair bit"  
  
"You are only in one scene." Dean told him, opening his book to a random page and skimming the text. Meredith watched with some sick satisfaction as her students all scrambled to begin learning. "I am in everything"  
  
Goldberg grinned and stretched his hands above his head. "Suddenly I am very glad that I am servant 1 in this production"  
  
"Ah, about that." Meredith began, looking at Goldberg and Russ, who were laughing at their friends and their frenzy to find their books. "Goldberg and Tyler, I need you to be leaders backstage crew. You are going to be busier then the actors are"  
  
"What?" Goldberg exclaimed, the smile sliding off of his face. At his side, Averman elbowed him in the side playfully. "I thought we were just going to be sitting around?"  
  
"No, no one is sitting around at all" Meredith told him.   
  
"Oh man" Russ rolled his eyes. "I thought this was an easy A"  
  
Luis looked up from his book, looking a little pale. Meredith was sure that he had only just realised how much he had to say in this play. Luis swallowed nervously and asked. "So, when do we have to have these line learnt by?"  
  
"We go on stage in about 6 weeks." Meredith shrugged. "Some of you will have no problems with learning your lines and cues by then, others, however, and without naming names, Mr Mendoza, will leave it to the last minute"  
  
"Guys, we better start learning…" Charlie sighed. Everyone else agreed.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Rebecca opened the door to the auditorium and quickly moved to the musical storage closet in the back of the room. She had been in the music room when she realised that she had run out of musical paper that she was writing the Romeo and Juliet music on. The only other place where the sheets were stored were in the auditorium, so she had not choice but to cross the school and waste time of her break that she could have spent composing.   
  
Coming out of the storage closet, a pile of music sheets in her hands, something, or more like someone, caught her eye. In one of the seats, facing the stage, was Fulton. Rebecca smiled and got half way to where he was sitting before she remembered that things could be a little awkward between the two of them. When faced with the decision of turning and leaving, or going and taking a seat beside him, she continued on her way.  
  
Beck collapsed into the chair beside him and put her music sheets on the chair by her side. "Hi"  
  
"Oh, hey Beck" he smiled distractedly.   
  
"What are you doing?" Beck asked, looking at the play book that he had resting in his lap.   
  
"Trying to learn this bloody play" Fulton sighed, closing the book. "None of us really realised that when we perform this, we are expected to know it word for word. We are all in a frenzy trying to learn sections by heart"  
  
Beck smiled and stood. If he was busy, they probably wouldn't get much talking done, and she didn't want to be a distraction to him. "Well, I guess, I will leave you to it then"  
  
"No, Beck, wait" He smiled up at her sweetly. "Could you help me?"  
  
"If you think I would be able to" she asked. Fulton took her hand and pulled her down so that she was sitting at his side again.   
  
"Could you read Romeo's part." He suggested, opening the script to the page that he had been working on before. "I would get Dean to do it, but he is probably off with practicing with Julie."  
  
"Sure, I think I can do that" She took the book from him, asking "Do you know this bit already?"  
  
"Parts of it" Fulton admitted.   
  
"Ok" She smiled at him and looked down at the page full of small print. "Where do you want to start?"  
  
"Romeo's line there" Fulton leaned over a little, his shoulder brushing hers as he pointed to the line at the top of the page.   
  
"Ok" Rebecca grinned, and then cleared her throat " 'Nay, that is not so' "  
  
" 'I mean, sir, in delay was waste our lights in vain…' " Fulton paused in the middle of his line, thinking. " 'We waste our lights in vain…' shit, I knew this ten minutes ago"  
  
"Its ok Fult" Rebecca told him, resting her hand lightly on his arm. Fulton looked at her hand, smiled at her, and then tried to remember the rest of the line. "Here, Just relax, it will come to you"  
  
" 'I mean, sir, in delay was waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day. Take our good meaning, for our judgement sits five times in that ere once in our five waits.' "  
  
"See, I knew you knew it" She smiled at him, moving her hand away. Fulton looked at his arm where her hand had been, and smiled weakly. " 'And we mean well in going to this mask; but tis not wit to go' "  
  
" 'Why may one ask' " Fulton continued.   
  
" 'I dream'd a dream to-night' " Rebecca read from the book.   
  
" 'And so did I' " Fulton replied, unsure if it was the right line. Rebecca smiled reassuringly at him, and he grinned.   
  
" 'Well, what was yours?' " she asked.   
  
" 'That dreamers often lie' " Fulton returned.   
  
" 'In bed asleep, while they do dream things true' " Rebecca said, and then paused as her gaze moved to the next line. It was a huge one. "Ah shit, you have to learn all that?"  
  
"Yeah" Fulton sighed and collapsed back into his seat a little.   
  
"That is like" Rebecca began, then did a quick count. "Fifty lines"  
  
"Forty three" Fulton replied. He had counted them before.   
  
"Are you going to be able to learn them?" Rebecca asked softly.   
  
Fulton shrugged, trying to find the best way to explain that it was not a case of could you, more like, have to. "I am going to have to. I don't really have a choice"  
  
"Well" Rebecca smiled at him. "I will help you however I can"  
  
"You don't have to" Fulton informed her quickly. "You have to music to work on"  
  
"The music will be fine" Rebecca smiled. That was Fulton for you, always thinking about everyone else before thinking of himself. "I can manage that. Or I can get one of the other girls in the quartet to do it for me"  
  
He smiled. "Thanks Beck"  
  
"Hey, what are friends for" Rebecca laughed, lightly punching his arm like she had seen Dean do a thousand times. Fulton laughed.   
  
"This is above and beyond the calls of friendship" he told her. He looked at his hands, and then out of the corner of his eye at Rebecca, who was watching him.   
  
"Hey, are you ok?" Rebecca asked, poking him in the shoulder quickly.   
  
"Of course, yeah" Fulton replied, still not looking at her directly. "I am just, embarrassed"  
  
"Embarrassed?"  
  
"I shouldn't have kissed you yesterday" Fulton told her. Then corrected himself. "Or, tried to kiss you"  
  
"Fulton" Rebecca smiled, and at that moment, she wanted to just reach out and give him a hug. He was embarrassed about something that he had no need to be embarrassed about. "It is ok"  
  
"You only just broke up with Nathan, and, well, I guess I forgot that" Fulton explained quickly.   
  
"Fulton, really" Beck laughed a little. "I don't mind. Actually, it is nice to know that …"  
  
"Some one finds you attractive?" Fulton finished for her, and Rebecca found herself nodding. Fulton smiled. "Well, you don't have to worry about that"  
  
Rebecca poked his cheek. "You are blushing"  
  
"Shit" He cursed and looked away, covering his cheeks with his hands. "I hate it when that happens"  
  
"I don't" Rebecca smiled at him. Fulton turned back to her. "I like it when you blush"  
  
"You would." He laughed accusingly. "You probably laugh at it"  
  
"No" Rebecca told him, reaching out and prying his hand from his cheek. When she pulled it away, she did not let it go, but slid her small hand into his bigger one and laced their fingers together. "I find it cute"   
  
"Cute?" he asked in mock outrage.   
  
"Handsome" Rebecca corrected.   
  
"That's better" Fulton smiled.   
  
Rebecca, who was staring at their still entwined hands, whispered. "Sexy"  
  
Fulton looked at her, amazed by what he had heard. Did she just call his blush sexy? No one eve did that. No one even called him sexy. But he grinned when he realised that now Rebecca's cheeks were a little pink as well. "Now you are blushing"  
  
"And your blush is deeper" She replied. After a few seconds of the two of them, sitting together, their hands still linked, Rebecca rested her head on his shoulder. "Fulton, wanna take me to a movie or something one day?"  
  
Fulton looked down at her. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"  
  
"Is it a problem that I asked?" Rebecca asked.   
  
"No, not at all" He smiled. "So, one day"  
  
"Maybe when the production is finished, or whatever. When you are not so busy with the play and I am over…" she stopped herself from completing the thought and looked quickly at him to see if he had noticed what she as about to say. He hadn't, he still seemed to be captivated by the fact that their hands were still together. "When I am finished with the music"  
  
Fulton smiled weakly. "You mean when I crash and burn at this play and your music is the only thing that saves the whole production."  
  
"Don't say that." She turned a little so that she a was sitting sideways in the auditorium chair, her feet tucked under her, and their hands still resting between them. "Have you no faith"  
  
"I have faith. Meredith will direct an awesome play, Dean and Julie will be the best Romeo and Juliet in the history of the play, your music will be nominated for some type of award." Fulton paused and looked away from her. "And I will get up on stage, prepare to say my first line, and … forget what I have to say."   
  
"Fulton." Rebecca grinned to herself. "That wont happen"  
  
"How can you be sure?" He asked, turning back to her.   
  
"Fulton" she lent forward and wrapped her arms around his neck "Just remember, I believe in you"  
  
When she pulled away from the hug, she pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. Above them, the bell that signalled the end of their break sounded. They both smiled at each other nervously. And then Beck stood, took his hand and pulled him out of his seat. "Walk me to class"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Hey Julie" Julie jumped as she heard the voice behind her. She had been so caught up in learning her lines that she had forgotten that it was her lunch break and she was sitting at the empty Ducks table in the cafeteria. "Table is pretty deserted for a lunch time"  
  
Julie looked over her shoulder at Matt. Explaining quickly, she said. "Boys are all in detention and Connie stayed behind after English to help Meredith"  
  
"So you are eating all alone?" he asked.   
  
"Yeah" Julie shrugged. "Take a seat if you want to"  
  
"Thanks" he smiled, sitting in the chair beside her. "What are you reading?"  
  
"Going over my lines for the play." Julie replied.   
  
"Oh." He nodded, then he stood, took something out of the back pocket of his jeans, and handed it to her. "I will swap"  
  
"What is this" she asked, taking the three sheets of paper that had been ripped out of one of his note books.   
  
"My half of our assignment" he replied. "I just finished it in my last lesson"  
  
"You have done your half already" She was surprised and even felt a little slack. She had not even thought about it yet. "Matt, I haven't even started mine"  
  
"That's ok" He assured her. "We still have a two weeks"  
  
"Two weeks?" Julie asked. She thought that she had more time then that. Where did the last week go?  
  
"Yep." He sighed sadly. "Two weeks and then we wont be lab partners anymore"  
  
"Don't look at it like that" Julie told him absently as she looked over his half of the assignment. It was excellent, and she knew that she would have to start working soon to have her half up to the same standard. "We may not be lab partners, but we will always be friends"  
  
"Friends, I can deal with that" He smiled at her. Julie was still reading when he said. "I had a good time yesterday"   
  
"You did?" Julie looked up, amazed. She had not expected Matt to enjoy their date to the art gallery because of what had happened with Rebecca and Fulton.   
  
"Yeah" Matt replied truthfully. "I would like to try it again though, without your friends turning up"  
  
"I am so sorry about that Matt" Julie began.   
  
"Don't apologise for them" Matt replied. "We managed to salvage the afternoon. That Fulton is a good guy"  
  
"Yeah, he is"   
  
Matt took a deep breath to steady himself. "So, are you busy tomorrow?"  
  
"I think I am" Julie replied. She knew that she would have no time for recreation that weekend. "I am sorry, but I am slipping behind with all this work. I should start my half of the assignment, and I have all of Juliet's lines to learn, plus the geography and chemistry homework that I have been putting off. And I think Orion wants us to have another practice tomorrow, just as a punishment for the boys having so many detentions."  
  
"What did they do?" Matt asked.   
  
"Got Old Man Walsh fired" Julie replied with some pride.   
  
"Really" Matt looked pensive. "I heard it was because he was a pervert"  
  
"He was, but via a strange turn of events, the Ducks were the ones who brought that to light" Julie explained.   
  
"They were given detention for getting him fired?" He asked, amazed.   
  
"No, they got Detentions for disrespecting a teacher" Julie replied. "Their sentencing got halved when the truth came out"  
  
"So…" Matt smiled at her. "No way you can get away tomorrow? Just for a few minutes?"  
  
"I wish" Julie told him. "Sorry Matt"  
  
"Don't apologise, it is ok"   
  
"Things are just so out of control at the moment." Julie sighed. "It is crazy"  
  
Matt smiled to himself, congratulating himself on the idea that had just come into his head. "Do you want some help learning your lines?"   
  
"Sure" Julie smiled, handing him the script. She had been practicing with Dean almost all day, it would be nice to get a little break. "Thanks Matt, it is nice of you to offer"  
  
"Which bit do you want to do?" He asked. "Or can I choose?"  
  
"You can choose" she smiled.   
  
Matt turned to the page he was looking for, cleared his throat and began reading. " 'If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth a rough touch with a tender kiss' "  
  
Julie paused. She had been avoiding that part of the play because it was the first bit that she had practiced with Dean. It was kind of special to her, because it was with that section of the play that the whole mess with him started. It felt strange to hear the same words coming from Matt.   
  
"Julie, are you ok?" Matt asked.   
  
"Yeah, I am fine" Julie replied. "Sorry"  
  
"You don't want to work on this section?"  
  
Julie thought about it. She had always thought that the next time she ran through this part of the play would be with Dean, and together they could laugh about the first time, they could laugh about the anticipation of their first kiss, and they could laugh together about the whole mess. But, really, she couldn't just avoid it for that reason. Especially since Matt was willing to help.   
  
"No…I mean, yes" Julie told him. She stopped and smiled at him. "I mean… we can work on this bit if you want to"  
  
" 'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand to much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, and palm to palm, a holy palmers kiss.' " Julie recited. It was a section that she did know well.   
  
Matt read quickly. " 'Have not saints lips, and holy palmers to' "  
  
" 'Ay, pilgrim, lips they must use in prayer' " Julie replied.   
  
" 'O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands to; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair' " Matt added.   
  
" 'Saints do not move, though grant for prayers sake' " Julie recited from memory. She could not help but remember the last time she had said those words. She had been sitting on the floor of Dean's dorm room, wondering if he would kiss her. Wondering if she really wanted Dean to kiss her. Julie had to admit that this time was so different from the last time.  
  
" 'Then move not, while my prayers effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged' " Matt grinned, and leant forward to kiss the corner of Julie's mouth. Julie smiled softly at him.   
  
" 'Then have my lips the sin that they have took?' " she asked.   
  
" 'Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again' "  
  
Matt leant forward again and pressed his lips to Julie's. Julie remembered thinking that the emotions that Dean stirred in her was just a reaction to having a man pay attention to her, but now, as Matt kissed her, she realised that she was wrong. Matt was a good kisser, but he was no where as good as Dean.   
  
Julie wondered why she was comparing him to Dean. They were two different people, and they should not be compared. They were two different extremes, neither bad, just both, different. But if some one was to ask her which boy was a better kisser, she would have to admit that Dean, with his amazing intensity, still made her heart pound.   
  
"Wow" Matt smiled when he pulled away.   
  
Julie smiled. But honestly could not return the thought. She felt like such a bitch.   
  
Neither of them realised that in the doorway of the cafeteria, Dean Portman had seen it all.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Shout outs  
  
BeautyQueen321 - Keeps getting better and better? Thankyou, that is so sweet. I am glad that Fulton and Rebecca's relationship if giving you butterflies. A lot of people love that relationship.  
  
Bloody Raine - I don't know, have you mention lately that you love Fult. I seem to remember you mentioning it once or twice…a review. No, I am glad you love him.   
  
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - Guy reading 'Men are from Mars…' made me laugh to. I am glad that you liked this chapter.   
  
Amy77 - I loved your reviews, chapters 1-5, and then suddenly, 15. But I love it that you tried to do them all. Thanks. Messing with you, I am not messing with you *whistles innocently*  
  
Kayla - I love your long reviews, they make me smile. First things first. "Aw Fult" I agree, I was actually typing something in this chapter, and I stopped and went "Aw Fult" that is the new sound (every one together, "Aw Fult", sounds almost like a curse, but its not) I hope you like the Shakespeare type conversations in this chapter. I had to find a way to fit it all in. Review and tell me what you think. You are right about a tough girl needing a tougher boy. But we will all just have to wait and see. I am sorry that your work sucked, but I hope it gets better. Now, one more time. "Aw Fult"  
  
Pixie13 - cant say heaps, off to find out who the hell Leonardo Nam is.   
  
Ashcake - You don't like Matt, it seems no one does. So you can join the club.   
  
Ok everyone, review. 


	17. and ended over dinner

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 17  
  
Disclaimer - Don't own.   
  
Notes - Just read. Do me a favour, don't freak out.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Guy angled his hockey stick and smoothly intercepted the puck that had just been fired at him. He looked up at his partner, Luis, who was standing on the other blue line, and gently coasted the puck back, along with " 'Why, how now, kinsmen! Wherefore storm you so' "  
  
Luis intercepted the puck, and returned it. " 'Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, a villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity this night' "  
  
" 'Young Romeo is it?' " Guy asked, shooting the puck back to Mendoza, this time with a bit more force.   
  
Luis had no problem with accepting the puck. " 'Tis he, that villain, Romeo' "  
  
Guy shot it back, then stood, leaning casually on his hockey stick. " 'Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone; he bears him like a portly gentlemen; and to say truth, Verona brags of him. To be virtuous and well govern'd youth: I will not for the wealth of all the town here in my house do him disparagement: Therefore, be patient, take no note of him: it is my will, the which if thou respect, show a fair presence and putt off these frowns, and ill-beseeming sembalance for a feast.' "  
  
The Ducks all paused and stared in shock at their friend, who had just recited all that from memory. Connie smiled and patted him on his heavily padded arm. "Well done Guy"  
  
"Thanks" Guy grinned.   
  
"Show off" Russ muttered good naturedly under his breath.   
  
" 'It fits when such a villain is a guest, I'll not endure him' " Luis replied, passing the puck back to him.   
  
A whistle blew. "And what on earth do you think you two are doing" Orion asked, skating up to Germaine and Mendoza. "Look at your feet"  
  
"What about them coach" Both boys looked at their skates, then at each other, and shrugged.   
  
"Unless I am much mistaken, they are on ice." Orion replied. "You are not in an English room now, stop practicing that damn play"  
  
"Come on coach, we need to start learning the play." Luis replied.   
  
"Yeah" Guy added. "We fail, you have no team"  
  
"You recite Shakespeare on my ice, and I will bench you myself." Orion threatened. A few others soon approached their coach.   
  
"Oh, come on coach" Charlie sad, approaching them. "We need to know this shit"  
  
Orion glared at the young captain. "Language, Conway"   
  
"Coaches pet" Russ muttered. Goldberg grinned and nodded.   
  
"You may need to know Shakespeare, but you also need to know hockey" Orion told his team, who were gather around him.   
  
"With all due respect Coach Orion, we all live, breathe and eat Hockey" Banks spoke up. "We could play hockey in our sleep"  
  
"Which is what it looked like you were doing last Friday" Orion retorted quickly. Averman winced at the shutdown.   
  
"And we still won" Dean told him. Orion glared at him, and Dean shrugged. "I know, laps"  
  
"Coach, you are confident in our abilities, and you know that we can succeed" Ken began, trying to calmly explain it to their coach. "Meredith is confident in our abilities to, but for her, we need the work"  
  
"We don't want to let her down coach, she has gone through a lot to allow us to be able to act instead of write." Fulton added.   
  
Goldberg spoke up then "We don't want all her hard work to go to waste coach"  
  
"And what about my hard work" Orion asked his team. They all looked at their feet. "You think this is all fun and games for me to train you guys"  
  
"But we came to you with talent" Russ began. When he saw the look on the coaches face, Russ grinned and playfully corrected himself. "Well, some talent"  
  
"But with Shakespeare we have to…" Averman smiled. "Starts with a W"  
  
"Work" the rest of the Ducks yelled enthusiastically.   
  
"Don't get smart with me Ducks" Orion replied. A few of them looked scared as their coach went on. "Spending all your training sessions with your head in some play book will not help you beat the Wasps next week"  
  
"Ok, so we will beat the wasps." Charlie told him. "And then you can have a front row seat to our English failure"  
  
Adam felt brave enough to add. "And Bombay cant keep us in this time"  
  
Orion looked around his group, threw his hands up in defeat, and mumbled to her. "Do what you want, you are going to anyway"  
  
"Thanks coach" they all cheered, went back to their skills refinement.   
  
"Hey Banskie" Guy called across the ice at him, shooting him the puck. " 'But Montague is bound as well as I, in penalty alike; and tis not hard, I think, for men so old as we to keep the peace.' "  
  
Adam sighed. He didn't know this part well, he had only started to read it that afternoon when he should have been listening in chemistry. " 'Of honourable reckoning are you both…' " he paused to think of the words.   
  
A voice from the other side of the ice startled the team. " 'Of honourable reckoning are you both; and pity is you lived at odd so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?' "  
  
Every one stared at Orion as he finished Adam's lines.   
  
Orion looked at them, then at the ice. "What, get back to work!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"Jules" Connie looked up at her friend as she pulled on her shoes. Julie was standing at her locker, about to throw on her shirt. Neither of the girls showered in the hockey locker rooms, because all the boys used it. It was just one room, and no privacy what so ever. "Wanna go through one of the Nurse and Juliet scenes."  
  
"Matt kissed me" Julie replied, collapsing onto the chair with her shoes.   
  
"Because we really need to work on that one…" Connie replied, then stopped and realised what Julie had just said. "What, Matt kissed you?"  
  
"Connie, not so loud, Dean will hear you" Julie hissed. Julie moved a little closer to Julie on the bench so that she could talk to her without the boys, Dean, Fulton and Ken, who were sitting on the other side of the room, wouldn't overhear their conversation.   
  
"Dean doesn't know" Connie asked. Julie looked at her, amazed.   
  
"Well, I cant really tell him, can I" Julie explained to her. "I cant just walk up and say 'Matt kissed me' he will go ballistic"  
  
"So…" Connie began.   
  
"So what?" Julie asked. Connie rolled her eyes.   
  
"Tell me about it, what happened" She whispered frantically.   
  
"He was reading Dean's…I mean, Romeo's lines for me at lunch, just to help me practice, and it was scripted…" Julie explained casually.   
  
"Is he a good kisser?" Connie asked her. "They say it is the quiet ones that are the best"  
  
"Connie, truthfully, it was…" Julie began.   
  
"Bad?" Connie interrupted, eyes wide. "Matt Goddard is a bad kisser?"  
  
"Not bad, just" Julie began. She had no idea how she was going to explain it to her without it sounding like…ah, screw it, just tell the truth. "Not Dean"  
  
"Not Dean?" Connie asked her. She smiled. "Oh my god…"  
  
"It means nothing Connie, I just, well, comparing the two of them, Dean is a better kisser" Julie tried to dismiss it, but Connie didn't look like she believed it.   
  
"Ok, I will believe you" Connie smiled.   
  
"Connie!" Julie groaned. From the look on the other girls face alone, Julie could tell that Connie was drawing her own conclusions.   
  
"What, I believe you" Connie replied. "So, it was bad, or different"  
  
"Different" Julie replied quickly. "Just different, not bad"  
  
"Did he try to…"  
  
Julie held up a hand to stop her. "No, it was completely innocent, exactly what you would expect from some one like Matt"  
  
"Portman's kisses aren't innocent?" Connie asked quickly, glancing across the room to where the boys were still getting dressed from their shower.   
  
"Connie, Portman's kisses are…" She paused, searching for the right word. "Evil compared to Matt's"  
  
"Girl, you are so gone" Connie grinned.   
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all" Connie replied, standing and grabbing her watch from her locker. "You will work it out"  
  
"I hope so…" Julie sighed.   
  
Connie sat down again. "So, is Matt like, your boyfriend now?"  
  
"I don't know" Julie sighed.   
  
"Do you want him to be?" Connie asked.   
  
"I don't know" Julie sighed again.   
  
"You have to know that" Connie replied, wrapping an arm around her obviously confused friend. "You cant answer maybe to that questions"  
  
"Sure you can" Julie replied firmly.   
  
"No Julie, you cant" Connie told her. "If you say maybe, then you are going to just hurt people"  
  
"You said maybe once." Julie replied, turning to face Connie. "I asked if you were going to get back with Guy, and you said maybe"  
  
"Different"  
  
"How?" Julie asked.   
  
Connie sighed and turned to explain it to her. "Because there were only two hearts on the line then, not three"  
  
"Three" Julie sighed softly.   
  
"Ignore it all you want Jules. But there are three of you involved" Connie replied, and Julie wanted nothing more then to tell her that there was no way she could ignore it any more. "You, Matt and Dean"  
  
"I know" Was her reply. "I am not ignoring that. It is hard to ignore that"  
  
There was silence between the two girls for almost a minute before Connie asked. "Are you going to tell Dean that Matt kissed you"  
  
"He doesn't need to know" Julie replied.   
  
"He will be angry if he finds out from some one else" Connie warned, looking to where Dean was hardly involved in the conversation with Fulton and Ken.   
  
"He told me that he would not let that sort of thing effect him" Julie shrugged.   
  
"And you believed him?" Connie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Jules, really"  
  
"When did life get so confusing" Julie whined. "It used to just be eat, sleep, school and hockey"  
  
"Then we hit 13 and it became eat, boys, sleep, boys, school, boys, hockey and boys" Connie laughed a little. "That was when it all got complicated"  
  
Ken was covertly watching the girls. They were now giggling like what they had been talking about was serious. "What do you think they are whispering about over there?"  
  
"Matt probably" Dean shrugged, taking his wallet from the shelf in his locker and shoving it in his beck pocket.   
  
"Oh and the date?" Fulton asked, pulling his bandana over his wet hair.   
  
"The kiss" Dean replied, slamming his locker shut. It was only then that he realised that he had left his watch in there, so he busied himself with getting the combination right again. He had had issues with it the first time around.   
  
"Kiss?" Fulton asked, throwing his towel to the laundry heap in the corner. "What kiss?"  
  
"Oh, I didn't tell you, they made out at lunch" Dean shrugged, hoping that his open locker door would hide him from his friends.   
  
Ken was shocked. "Made out"  
  
"In the cafeteria" Dean replied, he got his watch and slammed his locker, only to realise he had left his bandana in there. Cursing to himself, he tried the combination again.   
  
"What?" Ken practically exclaimed. He did think Julie was one who was big on public displays of attention.   
  
"Ok, so it wasn't really making out" Dean replied. He slammed his locker for the third time. If there was anything in there, he would have to leave it there for the weekend because he was not going to open his locker again until practice Monday. "It was just a kiss, but she enjoyed it"  
  
"She told you about it?" Fulton asked.   
  
"I saw it" Dean replied casually.   
  
"Ah man, that sucks" Ken sighed, tying his shoe laces.   
  
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly" Dean sighed, sitting on the bench and waiting for the others to be finished.   
  
"How do you know she liked it?" Fulton asked her  
  
Dean shrugged. "Bedroom eyes"  
  
"What?" both boys asked.   
  
"The way she was looking at him" He replied. "She looked at me once after I kissed her. It is the look she gives when she wants to drag you off to the nearest janitors closet for a quick…"  
  
"Portman" Fulton began. "Sure it wasn't anger. She has looked at you with that emotion before"  
  
"Or at least confusion" Ken added.   
  
"No, it was definitely lust" Dean sighed, rubbing his face.   
  
"Portman, don't read to much into it, you know that you sometimes have issues reading the signals when it comes to girls" Fulton replied, closing his locker a little more gently then Dean had closed his.   
  
"Any one else would have got a left hook to the face for that comment Reed" Dean told him. "But I guess you are right"  
  
Ken sighed, knowing he was going to regret his next statement. "Maybe you should talk to her about it"  
  
"What, are you crazy?" Dean asked him, trying not to be to loud and draw the girls attention to them. "And let her know that it is effecting me?"  
  
"Just be casual about it" Ken shrugged.   
  
"Have you ever known Portman to be casual about something?" Fulton chuckled. "Especially when it comes to girls?"  
  
"True"  
  
"Guys, I am just going to sit back and pretend I don't care" Dean told them. Ken and Fulton looked at each other in disbelief, and then back to Dean. "And then one day, maybe I wont care"  
  
"Portman, that was…" Ken began.   
  
"Wu, say deep, and I will hit you" Dean told him. Both of the other boys laughed.   
  
"And there, the old Dean Portman is back" Fulton slapped him on the back.   
  
"Listen…" Dean began. He was going to tell the boys to keep it under their hats, but he was interrupted.   
  
"Guys, why aren't you gone?" Orion asked from the doorway of the change rooms. "I want to lock up and go home. I have a family to get to, you know"  
  
"Sorry coach" All five of them chorused together.   
  
"What were you talking about anyway?" Orion asked them.   
  
They all looked at one another. "Hockey"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
" 'I pray thee, good Mercutio, let us retire: the day is hot, the Capulets are abroad, and, if we meet, we will not scape a brawl; for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring' " Charlie smiled. "Pass the salt"  
  
" 'Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of the tavern he claps me his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is not need' " Fulton replied, reading from his book, but trying to soak as much of it in as possible.   
  
A pair of arms looped around his shoulders, and a head rested on his shoulder. "You are getting better at that"  
  
"I was reading" Fulton blushed at Beck, who grinned and stood straight behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders.   
  
"Hey Beck"  
  
"Hi Ducks" She waved, then turned back to Fulton. "He Fulton, wanna hang out tonight"  
  
"Hang out?" he questioned.   
  
"Well, listen to me play the violin really" she corrected.   
  
"Why are you asking him?" Russ asked her. "He knows nothing about music"  
  
"Because he will automatically reply with 'that was great Beck' even if it was a load of horse shit" Beck smiled, and the rest of the table laughed. Fulton blushed a little and looked to his empty dinner plate. "So, what do you say?"  
  
Fulton smiled up at her, his blush receding. "Help me learn my lines and we have a deal"  
  
"Deal" She smiled, taking his hand and pulling him up from the table. "Lets go"  
  
"Fulton!" Charlie called after him, and Fulton turned back, still proudly holding Beck's hand in his. It was amazing how that still surprised him. "Who am I going to practice with?"  
  
"Get Banksie to do it" Fulton replied and let himself be dragged off. "Bye guys"  
  
"Oh, they are so cute" Dwayne laughed as Fulton and Beck left together.   
  
"Little Fulton, growing up so quickly" Averman laughed, wiping away an imaginary tear. He raised his hand about a foot above him. "I remember when he used to he this big"  
  
"Averman" Dean began when everyone's laughter died down. "We have to go over a few of our scenes at some point this weekend"  
  
"OK" Averman agreed, standing. "I heading home guys"  
  
"Why did you eat here?" Luis asked.   
  
"Because as much as I love my mom" Averman sighed. "She cant cook for shit"  
  
"See ya Averman" They all replied.   
  
"Later days" he saluted and left the room.   
  
Julie grinned. "It is cute you know"  
  
"Who, Averman?" Dean asked her from across the table.   
  
Julie laughed at him. "No. Beck and Fulton"  
  
"Yeah" Dean smiled. He was truly happy for Fulton, who was a great guy and deserved a great girl like Beck. "I see a future of violin playing, combat boot wearing hockey enforcing children"  
  
"With us as god parents" Julie replied.   
  
"Yeah" Dean smiled hollowly.   
  
Julie bit her lip, and then decided to just go for it. "Dean, are you ok, you have been real quiet all afternoon"  
  
"Just having a bad day" he dismissed.   
  
"Usually hockey practice makes you feel better" Julie replied.   
  
Dean smirked. "Nothing could make me feel better from this Jules"  
  
"Oh" Julie replied. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"Not with you" Dean said harshly. Julie looked away, and Dean silently cursed himself. "Sorry, that sounded…"  
  
Julie knew why he had said it. This, whatever it was, was about her. "I understand Dean"   
  
"Do you?" he asked softly.   
  
"Dean" Julie asked after a few seconds of heavy silence. "At least talk to some one?"  
  
"I will" he promised her.   
  
"Want to practice tonight, just read over some sections." Julie smiled, trying to change the subject. She couldn't go back to her room, because she would bet that that was where Fulton and Rebecca were, so hanging out with Dean would be one of her options. "Or, maybe not, we have all been on an overload today, want to just hang out…"  
  
"You kissed Matt" Dean interrupted.   
  
"Oh" Julie whispered.   
  
"Yeah" he sighed, looking down at the table.   
  
"Dean…" Julie began.   
  
"It is none of my business, I know" Dean replied, thinking he knew what she was going to say. "I just wanted you to know that I know"  
  
"Can I explain?" Julie asked.   
  
"No need to" Dean told her, pushing away his half empty plate. "Me, backing off. You, moving on."  
  
"Dean…"  
  
"Back off, move on" Dean snapped.   
  
"I am sorry" Julie whispered.   
  
"Stop saying you are sorry" Dean told her softly, trying not to let their conversation, or argument, bleed out into the whole table. He was sure the other Ducks were so sick of hearing them fight. "I don't want to hear it anymore"  
  
"And don't say we are still friends" Dean added. "I know we are, I just, don't need to hear it again"  
  
Julie looked at her plate, unsure of what to say next. Dean looked around the table. Only the Ducks closest to him realised that the two of them were arguing again.   
  
"You are right" Dean began, running his hand through his hair and standing. "I am on an overload, can I get a raincheck on practicing tonight? And on hanging out together?"   
  
"Sure" she whispered.   
  
"See you tomorrow" He replied, then waved to the others.   
  
Julie watched Dean walk out of the room and then pressed her hands to her face. Things were seriously complicated now. She didn't even know what she wanted. It was scaring her to be so out of control. It was spinning, she needed it to stop.   
  
Acting on an impulse, she called to the other ducks. "Night guys"  
  
The others watched as Julie stood, and crossed the room. "Hey Matt"  
  
Matt looked up and smiled. His smile left when he saw the look on her face. "Julie, what's wrong"  
  
"Nothing" She replied. "Are you busy tonight?"  
  
"Nothing that cant be changed." Matt told her, looking at his friends and then back to Julie. "Why?"  
  
"I just really need some one to talk to"  
  
"Sure Jules" He stood. "Where do you want to go?"  
  
"To your room" Julie whispered, taking his hand in hers. "Lets go"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK  
  
Seriously, it is not what you think. Please read next chapter to find out what is going on.   
  
Linnie22 - I am glad that you liked this chapter. As always, I was a little iffy about it, but thank you for assuring me that it was good. I agree, go Fulton.   
  
Kayla - CALM DOWN WOMAN. I know you are chucking a fit, and believe me, it is not what you think it is. I need you to promise me you will keep reading. Please. I am a huge fan of Billy Shakespeare to. He is the man. Anyway, review and tell me what you think.  
  
Bloody Raine - Don't cry.   
  
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - Don't kill him with a spork. Actually, go for it. Kill matt with a spork. You can bitch fight Connie for Guy, but Fulton is never leaving my side.   
  
KShyne99 - Drama? Never?  
  
Snorts 90 - Thanks for the review.   
  
Xomegsxo - First time reviewer, long time reader. Thank you for your review. You don't sound silly, Rebecca is brave with her. And Fulton is brave with Beck. They get strength from each other. I am glad you like this fic, please keep reading and reviewing.   
  
Amy77 - Are they together? Are they not together? Are they together? I don't even know. They are just in that really fun stage. The promise stage, I call it. How could she kiss Matt? Well, easy, she lent over and… well, you get it. Kill Matt? get in line, Cake Eaters Girly wants to kill him with a spork.   
  
Melanie - Thanks for the review. 


	18. Misunderstandings and falling apart

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 18  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine  
  
Notes - Just read and review please  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"Come in, take a seat" Matt smiled nervously as he opened the door to his dorm room. Julie, who had been quiet the whole walk over to the room, looked around quickly and silently sat on the edge of Matt's bed. Matt followed her in and kicked a few stray items under his roommates bed. "Sorry it is such a mess"  
  
"Its fine" Julie said softly. Matt continued to clean up a little, but Julie just grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit down beside her on the bed. "Really Matt, its fine"  
  
"Do you want anything?" Matt asked her nervously. This was the first time he had ever had a girl alone in his room, especially a girl that obviously was going through something. "I think I have some chocolate in here somewhere"  
  
"No, its fine" Julie told him again.   
  
Matt turned to her and decided to take the direct approach. "What's wrong"  
  
The first tear of the night ran down Julie's cheek. She carefully reached up and brushed it away. "Everything is falling apart Matt" She sighed mournfully. "I am going crazy"  
  
"Julie, I hate seeing you like this" Matt whispered to her. Julie smirked.   
  
"Well, I hate feeling like this, so we have another thing in common" She laughed bitterly and brushed away another tear.   
  
"It is going to be ok, what ever it is that is going on" he assured her, resting his hand gently on her knee. Julie looked at his hand and sniffled back a few more tears. She could not deal with this, she couldn't deal with Matt and his feelings right now.   
  
She took his hand and moved it away from her gently. "Matt, please don't"  
  
"Sorry" Matt mumbled, looking away, embarrassed. "I just thought…"  
  
"Can we not think, please. Just, not think at all" Julie asked. Matt smiled at her.   
  
"Sounds like fun" he replied, smiling.   
  
Julie looked to the floor of the room. The same bland carpeting that was in her room in the girls dorms, the same bland carpeting that was in Dean's room just down the hall. Julie wondered what he was doing in his room. Maybe he was thinking about her. Maybe he was doing homework, but most likely, he was thrashing around to that noise that he and Fulton called music.   
  
Matt's room was suffocating. She wanted to leave, she wanted to go away. Not just away from Matt, but from away from it all. She wanted to be in Maine again, with her mom, who would hold her and tell her that it would all sort itself out. With her father who would look at her and affectionately say 'messing with those preppy boys hearts will get you in trouble Julie-love'. Julie even wouldn't mind being with her brothers, all five of them, playing goalie for them in the driveway.   
  
Away from Dean and Matt maybe she could think. Away from Beck and Fulton and Connie, who all meant well but frustrated her more then the situation did. Away from Coach Orion and his no Shakespeare on the ice rules. Away from Meredith and her assurance that she will be a great Juliet. Away from it all.   
  
She had feelings for Dean. There, there it was. What she had been fighting for all this time. She mustn't have been a good goalie if she let that slip by her. Occupying herself with Matt was meant to take away the feelings for Dean. And now, she just felt so empty. She had pushed Dean away so much that he was actually leaving her alone, and now, Matt, the wonderful, sweet boy who was an innocent in all of this was going to get hurt.  
  
Matt deserved an explanation. If he could have anything, he should have the truth. He should never have been dragged into this in the first place.   
  
"Matt." She began. "I…"  
  
Julie tried to continue, but was cut off my his lips on hers. It had happened so quickly, he had reached out, buried a hand in her hair, and brought her lips to hers. Julie, in shock, allowed herself to be kissed for a few seconds before she reached out and pushed him away.  
  
"What are you doing?" Julie asked him.   
  
Matt was suddenly extremely interested with the bottom of his shoes. "I am sorry"  
  
Julie wanted to leave more then ever. He had just complicated things so much more. The silence that followed was the heaviest Julie had ever lived though.  
  
"I thought that you felt the same…" he began. Julie felt another tear run down her cheek. This really sucked.   
  
"I do…I mean, I cant…I mean…Shit" Julie began, and then shook her head. "Matt, just…"  
  
"Julie, what's wrong"  
  
"Matt…" Julie began, trying to find the best way to not hurt him with the whole situation.   
  
"Julie, just be honest" He told her.   
  
"I cant" Julie admitted weakly. "I cant be with you the way you want. Its not fair on anyone"  
  
"Anyone?" Matt whispered.   
  
"You…Me…Dean" Julie replied heavily. Now was the moment of truth.   
  
"Dean?" he questioned.   
  
"Portman" Julie replied.   
  
"Yeah, I know who he is, but, what the hell does he have to do with anything" He asked her. He tried not to raise his voice. He tried not to yell. If he was going to be honest with himself, he had seen this coming. There was something about Julie and Dean. Something about that day at Mickey's, when Dean had just sat down. The tension had been thick, he had felt it. There was always a thick tension between Dean and Julie. Matt had been innocent enough to think that if he ignored it, it would all go away.   
  
"I…" Julie began.   
  
"You love him?" Matt realised. It was the only explanation. Julie loved Dean.   
  
"No" Julie looked at Matt, shaking her head. "Well…No!"  
  
"Julie?" Matt called her bluff.   
  
"Matt, I cant explain everything, but I will tell you what I can, what I understand" She informed him. Matt nodded, listening to her was the least that he could do, because it was obviously what Julie needed. "See…"  
  
"You and Dean are in love" he asked her softly.   
  
"Matt" Julie replied, taking his hand in hers. "Dean, has feelings for me…And, well, there is something there coming from me to. I didn't want to have feelings for him. Shit Matt, I still don't, not really"  
  
"But you did" Matt nodded. "You do"  
  
"Matt, I was not leading you along or anything" Julie whispered. She hoped that he didn't think that she was. They had been friends, and although she had gone on a date with him, she had never promised anything to him. Julie took a breath and went on. "You are a fantastic guy. You would make any girl happy"  
  
"Any girl but you" Matt confirmed.   
  
"Any girl but me, because I am not sure what I want." Julie replied truthfully, rubbing her forehead with her hand. That was the tough part over with, she had told him the truth, now she just had to wait for his reply. "I am an idiot"  
  
"Jules, come here" Matt mumbled, pulling Julie into his arms. Julie reluctantly accepted his hug.   
  
There was a probability that Julie liked Dean, and there was nothing that he could say or do to make Jules change her mind. He would just have to settle for being her friend.   
  
"I do like you" Julie told him as she let herself be hugged by him. "Matt, really"  
  
"But you like Dean more" Matt smiled bitterly.   
  
"Different" Julie pulled away from him. "I like him different"  
  
"Close your eyes" Matt whispered. When Julie didn't close her eyes, Matt reached out and held his hand over her eyes. When he felt her eyes close under his hand, he pulled away from her. "Clear your head Jules, and tell me which one of us you want"  
  
Julie didn't reply, but by the tear that ran down her cheek, it was painfully obvious to him who Jules had chosen. Dean had won her over.   
  
"Oh Julie." Matt smiled, pulling her to hug her again. Julie let herself go and cried into his shoulder. "You are always going to be my friend, right"  
  
"You can hate me if you want" Julie mumbled heavily.   
  
"Julie. That wont happen" Matt replied honestly. "We may not be lab partners, but we will always be friends"  
  
"I said that"  
  
"Yes you did, and it was smart" He smiled, pulling away from her and looking her in the eye. "So now, my first act after this little revelation, is to dump you"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I know, we were not officially dating, but I want the chance to be the dumper, not the dumpee." Matt smiled. Julie laughed Hollowly.   
  
"Ok, I will give you that" She smiled. Julie moved a little away from him, considering that any more hugs would feel awkward.   
  
"You really are a great girl Julie." Matt told her. "Smart, funny, great on the ice, and you are going to be a fabulous Juliet."  
  
There was silence between the two of them, and it was suddenly broken when Julie whispered. "Matt, tell me what to do"  
  
"I cant" he returned lightly.   
  
"Sure you can" Julie replied. "You always make the right decisions"  
  
"Does he know?" Matt asked her. Julie nodded, and then shook her head. Did Dean know she had feelings for him?  
  
"He thinks he knows" Julie smirked. After a little more silence, she collapsed back onto Matt's bed and sighed melodramatically. "This is so mental. Nothing make sense anymore"  
  
"Sure it does, something always makes sense." Matt replied. Julie looked up at him sceptically. Matt grinned. "Science"  
  
"How is science going to help me?" Julie asked him. She could not help but smile at him. Maybe this wouldn't be awkward. Maybe they would be able to be friends after all.   
  
"It wont." Matt replied, standing and taking Julie by the hand, pulling her to her feet and then leading her to his desk. He got her a piece of paper, a pen, and a few of pages of their science notes. "But it will help me, because you haven't done your half of the assignment. Come on, I will help you with it"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dean was just about to knock on the door in front of him, when it opened, and he was almost knocked over. Luis looked at who he had bumped into, smiled dismissively, and continued down the hall, calling over his shoulder "Hey man, sorry, I am going out"  
  
Dean watched the other boy disappear down the hall and then turned back to the open doorway that he was standing in. On one of the beds was the person he was looking for, reading a figure skating magazine. "He is in a rush"  
  
"Date two with Charlie's tutor" Ken replied, waving his hand in the direction of the door, and then lowering his book to his chest. Dean was looking around the room absently. He moved to Luis's desk and picked up a postcard with some Miami beach on it, flipping it over and reading it quickly. He then picked up a photo frame with a picture of a smiling Luis and a little girl who only looked about a year old. Luis had a sister? Either that, or Mendoza had a daughter. Sister, Dean decided. Luis Mendoza was crazy, but not that crazy.   
  
"This tutor, does she even have a name?" Dean asked, replacing the picture to its place on the desk.   
  
"Not that I know of" Ken shrugged and sat up. "What can I help you with?"  
  
"Maths homework" Dean replied. "Did you copy it down?"  
  
"Yeah, you know me" Ken smiled, standing and crossing to his desk. He pulled a sheet of paper out of his binder and handed it to Dean. "Here"  
  
"Thanks Wu man" Dean smiled. Usually, that was when people turned and left, but today, Dean just stood still, looking around.   
  
"So" Ken began. The bigger boys behaviour was odd, to say the least, but he had been in an odd mood all afternoon since he had seen Matt and Julie in the dining room, so maybe he needed some one to talk to. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Just chillin' " Dean replied casually, his eyes still on the paper in his hands. "Taking a break from Shakespeare"  
  
"I think we all are" Ken smiled. The whole team had spent the day learning desperately, and now they were all over loaded. Adam had even started absently slipping 'thee' and 'thou' into his usual preppy vocabulary, so now he sounded like more of a wanker then what he usually did. "To much…I am starting to forget the stuff I learnt this morning"   
  
"Yeah" Dean smirked. "So I am going to fill my head with Math"  
  
"Good luck" Ken replied, sensing that what ever was up with Dean, he would never get it out of him. It would be easier just to wait for Dean to open up to Fulton, which would happen soon, he was sure of it.   
  
"Thanks Ken" Dean smiled weakly and waved as he exited the room. "See ya"  
  
But he stopped on the other side of the closed door. Another door, just down the hall had just opened, and two people stood in the doorway. There was no way that Dean would be able to get to his room at the other end of the hall without passing the couple, and that was something he definitely did not want to do. Because in the doorway was Julie and Matt.   
  
"You are so sweet" Julie smiled, hugging him quickly. She was happy to note that there was no awkwardness, and when he hugged her back, she felt comfortable. It was so much easier now that they were friends. "Thank you so much for tonight"  
  
"Julie, it was nothing, really" Matt told her quickly. So he may not have gotten the girl, but he had gained a friend. Girls come and go, but friendships are forever.   
  
"Nothing. Matt, you being there for me like that, that was everything to me" Julie replied, kissing him on the cheek.  
  
Dean lent against the wall, trying not to watch or listen as Matt and Julie said their goodbyes in the hallway. He tried not to be jealous as they hugged. They looked so comfortable, so intimate in each others embrace. He didn't know whether to cry, or be sick.   
  
And what on earth were they talking about?  
  
"You really do mean a lot to me" Julie whispered, but Dean could still hear her. "Really Matt"  
  
"I know" Matt smiled widely. "Come here, give me another hug"  
  
"Thank you" Julie replied.   
  
"Jules, thank you" He corrected. After they had done a little work on their science homework, they had gone back to talking about Dean and Julie, and their feelings. It had not hurt Matt as much as he had suspected it would. Julie was his friend. "You sharing that with me was…"  
  
"You talk like it is some big deal" Julie blushed. Dean bit his lip, he so did not like the way this was sounding.   
  
"It was" Matt returned. "Really it was"  
  
"I don't think so"  
  
"Well, I do" Matt smiled. It had been amazing, some of the things that she had told him she had admitted that she had not even told Connie or Rebecca, the two girls that were her best friends in the world. But she had shared it all with him, and that made him feel so special. "You shared something with me that you didn't…well, you know"  
  
"You really are a great guy" Julie grinned.   
  
"So you keep saying" Matt smiled.   
  
Dean wanted nothing more then to go and bash up Matt. His mind had jumped to the immediate conclusion, a conclusion that almost gripping his chest in physical pain. From what he had just heard, it sounded as if. Oh god, it sounded as if Julie and Matt had… he couldn't even think it. Life was shit.  
  
"I will talk to you in the morning?" Julie asked him.   
  
"Sure" Matt replied, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Julie smiled. "We have to work on the project"  
  
"Night Matt" Julie smiled and began off down the hall. She got a few steps away before turning back. "Thanks again"  
  
"My pleasure" Matt replied, and returned to his room, closing the door behind him.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You shouldn't be doing this?" Fulton told Rebecca. Beck looked up at him, smiled and swung their joined hands between the two of them.   
  
"What? Why?" She asked him.   
  
"First you hold my hand, then you ask me out, then you kiss me in the auditorium, now you are walking me to my dorm." Fulton smiled. "I feel like such a girl in this relationship…friendship…whatever"  
  
He looked away and mentally cursed himself. He used the R word. He wasn't sure what the two of them had, but he was sure that he wasn't a relationship, not yet. Rebecca still needed time.   
  
Beck stopped in the middle of the path, the two of them standing under one of the lamp lights that lit the way. It was close to curfew, so there was no one else around. "You know, that is a good question, what are we to each other"  
  
"Well" Fulton began. "I don't know"  
  
"You mean a lot to me Fulton" Rebecca told him, holding both his hands in hers. Rebecca learnt early on that she loved holding Fulton's hand, because it still amazed him that she would want to, and Rebecca loved the look on his face when she would take his and when they were just walking places. He was so cute.   
  
"You mean a lot to me to" Fulton replied. He hoped it was dark enough to hide the blush. Even though Rebecca had told him that she liked it, it was not something that he liked himself.   
  
"I just need time"  
  
"I know, one day" Fulton replied, and then impulsively pulled her into his arms for a hug. "I will give you all the time that you need"  
  
"You are so sweet" She said, her voice muffled into his chest as they hugged "Wonderful and amazing and…"  
  
"And" Fulton looked down at her.   
  
Rebecca smiled. "Sexy"   
  
"I was hoping you would say that again" Fulton admitted, laughing.   
  
Rebecca was suddenly outraged. His cheeks had not heated that time. Fulton hadn't blushed. "You didn't blush that time"  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you" He laughed at her. Rebecca pulled her hands out of his and rested them on her hips in false anger. Fulton just laughed and hugged her again.   
  
Rebecca grinned. "That's alright, I have a few tricks up my sleeve"  
  
"Like" Fulton asked. Rebecca stood on her toes to try and whisper in his ear, but when she realised that she was not even tall enough for that, she playfully grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him down. As soon as she began whispering, Fulton's cheeks went the deepest red he could ever remember them being. Beck took one look at them, and grinned at her success.   
  
"Rebecca Andrea Roman" Fulton sighed in disbelief. "You look so innocent"  
  
"And you are blushing, so mission accomplished" she smiled. Taking his hand again, they continued to walk along the path to the boys dorms.   
  
"So, what are we to each other" Fulton asked after about a minute of comfortable silence. He had been debating with himself about asking the question, but now that it was out there, the smile on Beck's face made it all worth it.   
  
"Well, I thought it would be obvious" She replied. "You are my almost-boyfriend"  
  
"Almost-boyfriend?" Fulton nodded, liking the sound of that. "Does that make you my almost-girlfriend?"  
  
"Do you want me to be your almost-girlfriend?" she asked him innocently.   
  
"This going to be the best almost-relationship I have ever been in" Fulton smiled at her.   
  
Rebecca was about to slap his shoulder because of his sarcastic response, but decided against it. There would not be many guys out there, especially those as great as Fulton, who would be willing to wait until she was ready for a relationship. He deserved so much better. Turning to him, she smiled. "You are so great"  
  
"You are to" Fulton replied.   
  
"It just occurred to me, you have never told me what you think of me" Rebecca joked. She didn't need for him to tell her, she just loved the fact that he wanted to spend time with her.   
  
Fulton blushed again, and Rebecca had to admit that that was interesting. Fulton smiled suddenly. "Where do you want me to start"  
  
"I don't know, but just let me look at your blush for a little longer" Rebecca grinned, palming his cheek.   
  
"You really want me to tell you what I like about you?" He asked her. Rebecca shrugged nonchalantly. Fulton pulled her off of the path, and down onto the grass, sitting in a beam of light from another one of the lights that lit the pathway. "Sit down, it may take a while"  
  
Rebecca laughed and sat beside him. "Fire away"  
  
Fulton took a few seconds to think of what he was going to say. He had not been joking when he had asked her where he should start, he could list a million things that he liked about Rebecca, and then probably still be able to mention a few more. "Well, you have nice hands"  
  
"My hands?" Rebecca looked at her hands. They were nothing special really. She kept her nails short to stop them from interfering with her music, and more often they were chipped. What could Fulton possibly like about her hands.   
  
"Yeah, look." He held up her hand for her to see. "You have long fingers, but they are thin, so if we do this" he pressed his hand to hers, positioning it so that the heals of their hands were together, and her long fingers stretched out along his. "You can still see my hand around yours"  
  
"That is kind of cool" she admitted, smiling as she laced their hands together.   
  
"Plus, there is the smile" Fulton replied. "I noticed your smile first honestly. That day Dean and I came looking for Julie, you smiled at me. That was when I sort of thought that I could like you…"  
  
"I was dating Nathan then" Rebecca mumbled, stretching herself out onto the ground behind her. Fulton did so also, and the two of them stared at the stars. Rebecca had never mentioned Nathan to him. The first day that he had been looking after here when they had first broken up, she had only ever referred to him as her ex. Fulton knew who she had been dating, everyone had known about Beck and Nathan.   
  
"You dated him for a while, didn't you" he asked her softly, still staring up at the stars.   
  
"Yeah, 341 days" Rebecca replied, then she looked across at him. "But honestly Fult, it was never as exciting as this last week with you"  
  
"Why did you break up?" Fulton asked. It was something that during the last week, as they grew closer, neither of them had brought up, so they had not discussed it. "I mean, you don't have to tell me, I just realised that even last Monday when we were talking about it, we never really spoke about it"  
  
"He…well…the thing you have to understand about Nathan is, his parents are living in this time warp. 1950's America. The Wesley's are quite literally the Cleavers. And Nathan was Beaver" Rebecca sighed, talking to the stars instead of facing Fulton. "We disagreed about a few things, but what clinched it was the future"  
  
"The future?"  
  
"He started talking about what he wanted. He would go off to college and I would stay here and create a household, then we would marry after he got his degree, go on to have the perfect 2.3 kids and one of those big annoying dogs." She replied. "I told him I wanted to go to college, maybe study music and get into a symphony or something. I didn't fit the plan, so I was booted"  
  
"What an ass" Fulton growled. "What a major ass. Did he not know how much talent you have?"  
  
"He knew" Rebecca shrugged. "Jealous probably. But…I loved him."  
  
"I will wait as long as you need me to"  
  
Rebecca smiled, moved a little closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "One of the reasons I adore you"  
  
"If you let me, I would like to be by your side, through the rest of Eden hall, and college, and the New York Symphony Orchestra. Or whatever" He whispered. It was the first thing to come into his head, and he was amazed when he realised it was the truth. A future, a life with Rebecca would be no problem for him at all.   
  
"Just like I would love to be by your side through Eden Hall, and the minor leagues, and major league hockey" She replied.   
  
"I don't think I am going to be a hockey player forever" he told her. Rebecca looked at him, turning so that she was laying on her stomach, her side against his, and she could look down into his face.   
  
It had never occurred to her that Fulton would not always be a hockey player. It was something that he did that made him happy, but he seemed so sure that he would not being doing it for the rest of his life. Rebecca couldn't tell if it was because he honestly wanted to do something else, or if he just didn't have faith in his own ability. What ever it was, what ever he decided to do with his life, she would support him.   
  
"What do you want to do?" she asked.   
  
He gazed up into the stars again and said. "Architecture"   
  
"Really?"   
  
"You sound shocked" Fulton turned back to her.   
  
"No, not shocked" she grinned, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart beating. She smiled when he nervously brought his and up around her shoulder. "Just proud. You can do it Fult"  
  
Fulton laughed, and it rumbled in his chest. "I know, you believe in me"  
  
"I do" She smiled, and then looked at her watch. Ten minutes till curfew. If she wanted to walk Fulton the rest of the way and then get back to her room in time, she would have to go now. "We should get going. Curfew is soon"  
  
"Yeah" He replied, standing and pulling her to her feet. "Come on"  
  
This time as they walked, it was Fulton who took her hand in his. Rebecca smiled.   
  
He held the door of the dorm building open for her, and Rebecca was about to complain when they heard a crash from above them. They climbed the stairs quickly, and stopped at the end of the hall which lead to Fulton and Dean's room. There was another crash. Boys all the way down the hall were looking out their doors, and in front of his own door was Ken, wielding a hockey stick, and threatening to hurt anyone who tried to get involved. Ken could be a scary guy when you got to know him.   
  
Fulton and Beck pushed past a few people to get to Ken. Ken saw them and sighed in relief. "Fulton, thank god"  
  
"Wu man, what's up?"  
  
Ken lowered his hockey stick. "Dean is in there, trashing the place"  
  
"Shit, what happened?" Fulton asked. This had happened once before. Dean only ever trashed their room, like seriously trashed the room, when he was seriously depressed. He would destruct, then self destruct, it was a pattern. Last time he had come back to a messed up room, Dean's grandfather and mentor, a man that Fulton himself called grandpa Jack had died.   
  
"I have no idea" Ken replied.   
  
"Fuck" Fulton cursed. He pushed Ken aside, and then moved the other hockey player in front of Beck. Dean was unpredictable when he was like this, and Fulton didn't want anything to happen to Beck. Luckily enough, he trusted Ken. "Beck, stay out here"  
  
"What, and let you go in there and get the pulp beaten out of you" Rebecca replied, trying to push around Ken. "No way"  
  
"Beck, Please" Fulton pleaded.   
  
"Ok" Rebecca sighed. "But if he hurts you" She had no idea why she had said that. If Dean was to hurt Fulton, there would really be nothing she could do really. Dean was quite literally twice her size. It would never be a fair fight.   
  
"He wont" Fulton replied, and then thumped on the door. "Portman, its just me, I am coming in"  
  
He turned the knob and the door swung open. Something crunched under his boots and he looked down to see the remains of his desk lamp. And then there were a few fragments of the CD collection, there was half of a math notebook and a scrunched up title page of Romeo and Juliet. There was a smashed picture frame hanging on the wall, a ripped photograph of the Ducks in it. There was half a hockey stick, a puck mark in the wall, and Dean, sitting on the floor, his hands covering his head.   
  
"Portman" Fulton began, closing the door behind him, the onlookers in the hall didn't need to see this. Any of it. "What's up"  
  
Deans only reply was "I am sorry about your shit, I will replace it"  
  
"Don't worry man" Fulton replied, toeing things out of the way so that he could sit down on the floor across from his friend. "What's happened"  
  
"She…she…" Dean began, and when he looked up, Fulton was shocked to see his friend crying. Destruct phase was over, Dean was into self Destruct. "Fuck, blubbering like a baby"  
  
"What ever happened must be bad" Fulton began as he watched his friend cry. He knew that he would be the only duck, except maybe for the girls, that he would allow to see him cry. "Did something happen with your family? Or is this Julie?"  
  
"Julie" he mumbled, rubbing his fists into his cheek the way a baby would. "Don't tell anyone that I have been crying like some girl man"  
  
"I promise" Fulton smiled. "Do we have any tissues?"  
  
"No, I don't think so" he replied, resting his head back onto his bed. There was blood on his cheek, and it was only then that Fulton realised that his hands were cut to hell.   
  
"Dude, your hand is bleeding" Fulton began.   
  
"Yeah, shoved it through the mirror" Dean replied, looking at his bloodied hand for the first time. Now that he had said it, Fulton realised that there was a pile of mirror on the floor under where the mirror used to be. "Sorry man"  
  
"Stop saying sorry" Fulton told him, eyeing his hand. He was eyeing the bloody hand. They had both seen worse in their hockey careers, but by morning his hand would be infected, swollen and hard to move, by Monday, it would be worse, and there would be no way he would be able to deal with writing or hockey practice. He wanted to just grab his friends hand and clean his cuts, but there physical contact with a crying best friend was not exactly a comfortable thing between boys. "But your hand looks bad"  
  
"It will be fine" Dean dismissed.   
  
Fulton stood and crossed to their bathroom "We have bandages here somewhere"  
  
"Fulton" Dean stopped him.   
  
"Don't tell me to leave it" Fulton told him. "Something happened to make you this pissed. I wont pry if you don't want me to, but you are going to let me fix this hand"  
  
The door opened suddenly and Rebecca, in the process of shaking off Ken, who was trying to hold her back, stormed in. "Ok, this is crazy, I cant wait out there for you to kill each other…" She paused when she saw a teary eyed Portman, nursing a bloody hand in another. "Shit, Portman, your hand"  
  
"It is nothing" he dismissed.   
  
"That is a lot of blood for nothing" She told him, crossing the room to sit in front of him on the floor. She took his hand and he wince, pulling away. "Come here, you big baby. Fult, get some bandages" she ordered softly  
  
"Got yourself a crackerjack here Fult" Dean muttered weakly.   
  
"Yeah, you can be best man if you stop being so bloody stubborn about this" She took his wrist forcefully. She looked at the deep cuts. "There is glass in here, and it is going to get infected if you don't let me treat it"  
  
Dean shrugged and looked around the room. Ken was standing against the closed door, toeing the broken pieces of the bash brothers material belongings. Fulton was digging through the bathroom draws. Rebecca was sitting before him. She ran a finger down his cheek, collecting a tear, and then ripped a huge shard of glass out of one of the cuts. He cursed.  
  
She was gentle, but Dean knew that if Fulton was pulling the glass out of his hand, he would not mind him slapping him back. He tried not to think of the pain as Rebecca pulled another piece of glass from his hand. But Rebecca was gentle, and Dean knew why his bash brother liked her so much.   
  
"What's wrong" She whispered. Dean looked up at her. He didn't know when it had happened, but she was holding a wad of gauze, and Fulton was in the corner, talking to Ken. "Dean, they say girls are the best listeners, you can tell me"  
  
More tears fell down his cheeks. "She really doesn't love me does she?"  
  
Rebecca smoothed her hand over his hair and then carefully wrapped his hand in the gauze. "We cant be sure of that"  
  
He took a deep breath. "Beck, she slept Matt Goddard"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Oh, poor Dean  
  
Guys, shout outs will be next chapter, CSI is on, all new season. 


	19. Advice from the strangest places

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 19  
  
Disclaimer - Sue and you will get nothing  
  
Notes - First, I am not sure if I like this chapter. It is a little, iffy in my book. Tell me what you think in your reviews. Second, remember that the Portman family calls their daughter 'Dean' and Dean something else, which will be revealed later in the story. So if Dean calls Joanna Dean, it is because of that. But I have mainly called Joanna Joanna so that it don't get confusing.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Lester Averman walked down the hallway of the Eden Hall dorms. It was quiet, far to quiet to be the dorm of a high school, especially a boys dorm of a high school. The few other times that he had been in these Dorms, there was always music playing and people thumping around. This morning it as different, it felt almost as though people were scared to make any noise.   
  
There were a group of freshmen in the corner whispering, and occasionally they would look down the hall. When Averman passed them, they followed him closely with his eyes, and when he knocked on the door to Portman and Fulton's room, they began whispering and gesturing again. Averman shrugged their behaviour off as nothing, because this was not the first time that some one had stared at him before.  
  
"Whoa" he muttered as he entered the room. It looked like a bomb had hit it. Fulton was gong through the remains, looking for anything that could be saved, and looked up at his friend as he entered the room. "Did you guys play rock star and not invite me?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"If you are going to trash a place, don't make it your own room." Averman replied.   
  
Fulton shook his head. "Don't joke about this man"  
  
"Ok" Was the only reply Averman gave. He knew that sometimes when things went bad, really bad in Dean's life, he would go a bit loco and trash the room. It looked like this was what was happening now. "Where is Portman"  
  
"Showering" Fulton replied, picking up a waste paper basket and throwing some of the junk that was laying on the floor into it. "What do you want him for?"  
  
"Practicing Shakespeare." Averman replied, holding up his playbook. "We haven't even looked at the scene that we share."  
  
The door to the bathroom opened, and Dean exited, he looked at Averman, wondering what the hall the other guy was doing there until he realised that he had told him to drop by so that they could work on a few things. "Hey Averman"  
  
"Portman" he nodded. "Is this a bad time to do some practice?"  
  
"No, its cool, just let me grab a shirt" Dean replied, throwing a shirt on quickly and picking up his book. When he reached for it, Averman took a look at his hands, his hands that he had only just cleaned and put new bandages on.   
  
"What happened to your hands Man?" Averman asked. Portman looked down at them and shrugged.   
  
"A mirror" He replied quickly. "It's a long story"  
  
"Would have to be" Averman smiled. Portman turned and looked to Fulton, who was still throwing things into the bin.   
  
"Fulton, leave the cleaning, I said I would do it."  
  
"OK man." Fulton sighed, dropping the bin to the floor and looking around. If he was not cleaning, then he had nothing that was really keeping him in the room. "I am going to the library"  
  
"Bye Fulton" Averman replied, waving as Fulton left but never taking his eyes off of Dean's bandaged hands.   
  
"Its just a cut Averman." Dean told him. "You don't have to stare at me"  
  
"You really put your hand through a mirror?" Averman asked, amazed. He would not put it past him to do something like that, but it was amazing to think that he actually had punched a mirror. Averman had never met anyone who was that aggressive off of the ice as well as on it.   
  
"You've never been angry?" Dean asked, pulling out a desk chair and sitting in it. Averman sat in the other one, turning so that he could face the other boy. "You have never wanted to smash something with your bare hands, just to see if it makes you feel better"  
  
Averman nodded. "You are an interesting guy Portman. Because right now, you are making so much sense"  
  
"I don't know, I guess I just needed to feel powerful" Dean muttered, flipping open his book. He hadn't really thought about why he had hit the mirror, only that as the glass broke around him, and dug into his hand, he felt just a little better about it all. Just a little, but not all that much. "Lets practice"  
  
They read through the scene a few times and began to learn the section, they were getting good at it to, before Averman paused and stared at his hand again. The bandage was beginning to turn red with blood. "Your hand is bleeding"  
  
Portman glanced at his hand and cursed. He stood and moved to the bathroom that was just off to the side of where he was standing. He was sure that they had one more set of bandages in there. He had seen them that morning when he had fixed his hand.   
  
"Talking didn't help did it?" Averman called after him.   
  
"What?" Portman stuck his head around the side of the doorway to look at him. Averman stood from where he was sitting and made his way to the bathroom door, leaning against the doorframe.   
  
"Talking. You spoke to people about what ever it is you are going through, and it didn't help" He confirmed softly.   
  
"I still slammed my hand into a mirror, so of course it didn't work" Dean chuckled bitterly.   
  
"Talking is better then violence, any grade school guidance officer could tell you that, but what most guidance officers forget to tell you is that who you talk to is most important." Averman told him. Portman looked at him, confused. "You need a third party"  
  
"Third party?" Portman asked, looking up from where he was washing off his hand.   
  
"Some one who doesn't know what you are going through." Averman clarified for him. "Why do you think everyone you have spoken to about it so far didn't make you feel any better"   
  
Portman thought for a few moments before realising it. "Because they know to much"   
  
"Exactly. Fulton, Beck, Ken. Any of the ducks, they all know to much. They know you, they know Julie, and they know the situation, or at least they think they know. They already have opinions. They are biased. You need an independent third party to give you an unbiased and completely honest opinion." Averman told him casually.   
  
Portman chuckled and echoed Averman's earlier words. "You are an interesting guy Averman, because right now, you are making a lot of sense."  
  
As he bandaged his hand, he wondered who he would be able to talk to about all of this, who would be able to act as an unbiased third party. None of the Ducks would be able to do it, or any of his non Duck friends.   
  
"Do you trust your mom?" Averman asked him. Portman looked at him, wondering when he had learnt to read minds.   
  
"Sure I trust her" Portman told him.   
  
"Do you trust her with what ever is going on in your life?" Averman asked. It was the next question, and really, it was the most important. "Or your Dad. Parents usually give the best advice."  
  
Portman laughed hollowly. "You haven't met my parents"  
  
Sure, Dean loved his parents, but there were some things that he knew he would never be able to share with them. This situation was something that he knew he would not be able to share.   
  
"Your sister" Averman suggested. "Do you trust her?"  
  
"I cant go to my sister about advice on my love life" Dean told him.   
  
"Why not?" he asked quickly.   
  
"It would be odd"  
  
"I thought you and your sis were close" Averman replied.   
  
"We are, way close" Portman admitted. "But there are just some things I don't think I would be able to talk to her about"  
  
"Portman, think about it, you are lucky to have a sister that you get along with. My sister and I fought like cats and dogs when we were growing up, and I really regret it. There are things I wish I could have shared with her, and I know that she really wishes she could have been there for me." Averman explained. Dean had to admit that he did have a point. "If you cant trust your little sister, who can you trust?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Dean's hands quickly punched the numbers onto to phone. "Hello, Portman Residence."  
  
"Deanie, its me" he smiled. Maybe Averman was right, just hearing his little sister Joanna's voice made him feel better.   
  
The voice on the other end of the line sighed. "I am sorry, I don't know any one named me"  
  
"You know who I am." Dean replied. He could already tell that his little sister was no so happy with him. So he had not called in a little while, and obviously, she was not happy about it. "Your big brother"  
  
"Big brother? Oh, you mean the prep who is to busy to talk to his sister." Joanna replied scathingly. Dean rolled his eyes, she could get a little melodramatic sometimes, but that was one of the things that made her a cool kid to hang out with.   
  
"I am not to busy" Dean informed her, and then realised what the other half of the insult had been. "And I am not a prep"  
  
"Sure you are, preppy" Joanna replied. Dean smirked to himself, imagining his little sister nonchalantly shrugging to dismiss the thought. "You forgot all about me"  
  
Dean was hurt by the accusation. "I didn't forget all about you"  
  
"Sure you did" She sighed. "You haven't called"  
  
"I am sorry" He replied, leaning against the wall beside the Dorm payphones and sliding down it so that he was sitting on the floor, his feet stretched out in front of him. His bandaged hands holding the phone to his ear.   
  
"Yeah, you better be sorry" Joanna muttered. Dean smiled a little. He could tell that by now, Joanna would have the long phone cord wrapped a few times around her. It was something that she always did when she was on the phone. Something that their mother used to always bitch at her for.   
  
"Are the parentals around?" Dean asked.   
  
"Dad got called into work, and mom is out grocery shopping." She replied. In the back ground, Dean could hear her opening the refrigerator, and he could practically see her dark expression as she dug through the contents. Knowing their mom, and the fact that it was shopping day, she probably had a bottle of mustard and some cabbage to choose from. "I hope she bring home something good, because we seriously have zip in this house to eat."  
  
"I miss you Joanna." Dean mumbled. "And Muttley"  
  
Joanna Portman almost dropped the phone. "Dean, what's wrong, we only use our real names when we are in trouble" she was suddenly scared. "Are you ok?"  
  
"I am…" Dean began, and then took a breath. He knew he could trust her, but he was unsure if he could trust himself to explain what was going on. "I can tell you anything, right. And you wont go tell mom"  
  
"Oh shit, they are expelling you!" Joanna laughed.   
  
"No, I am not expelled" Dean smirked. If only it was that simple.   
  
"Then this has something to do with a girl" She mused.   
  
"Maybe" Dean sighed. It seemed that even with the distance, they could read each other like books.   
  
Joanna's mind jumped to the next conclusion. "You got some preppy chick pregnant right?"  
  
"No, its Julie" Dean replied.   
  
"You got Julie pregnant" Joanna asked, surprised. "Julie, from your team, Julie"  
  
"Jo, be serious, she is not pregnant. At least not with my kid anyway" Dean muttered. He didn't want to think about it, about Julie with Matt. It was a bitter spot for them.   
  
"And that is a problem is it?" Joanna asked, jumping onto the kitchen counter. "Dean, are you in love"  
  
Dean rolled his eyes. He could tell that by now, Joanna had worked out that that was what it was. That all of this was about a girl. "Tell mom and I will tell her who really put the scratch in her car last summer"  
  
"Dean, you wouldn't" Joanna replied, appalled. "Dean, I would hate you forever and you need me as your friend" She paused for a second, knowing that if she fought with Dean now, she would never be able to get to the bottom of all this And there was a part of her that desperately wanted to know. "So, what is going on with Julie?"  
  
"I like her, maybe even love her." Dean admitted softly.   
  
"And she is with another guy?" Joanna filled in the blanks.   
  
"Matt Goddard" Dean replied through clenched teeth.   
  
"Matt Goddard" Joanna repeated. "What type of name is Matt Goddard anyway. He sounds like a vacuum cleaner salesman"  
  
Dean laughed. Joanna always knew what to say to make him feel better. "I knew I could count on you kiddo"  
  
"Yeah, I am good at insulting people" She smiled. He could feel her smile through the phone line, and suddenly, he sensed that the smile had turned into a grin. An evil grin. "You should hear the new ammunition I have to use on you, Romeo"  
  
"Romeo?" Dean questioned. "Ah shit, how did you find out about that"  
  
"The school called" Joanna told him. Dean groaned. Damn nosy school and their stupid phoning home policy. "Were you ever going to tell us about it?"  
  
"The school called to tell you about the play?" he asked. It was surprising that the school would call about an English assignment.   
  
Joanna smiled. "And the fact that you got a teacher fired"  
  
"Crap, what did the rents have to say about that?" he asked. "Was dad pissed?"  
  
"No, but he did the disappointed noise"   
  
"Oh, the disappointed noise" Dean smirked. It was a noise that his father used to make, it was some where between a groan and a tisk. They both hated it.   
  
"Yeah, I felt bad for you, and I wasn't even involved in the firing." Joanna smiled. It was one noise that could make them both feel 2 inches tall. "What did you do?"  
  
Dean smiled triumphantly again, as he always did when some one mentioned how Old Man Walsh had been fired. "Long story, I will tell you over the Christmas turkey"  
  
"You should really stay out of trouble, or dad is going to pull you out of Eden Hall" Joanna threatened on their fathers behalf.   
  
"No he wont, he will send you here to look after me" Dean countered.   
  
"Man, that would be cool, keep getting in trouble" Joanna smiled. It had been hard on her when Dean had been given the scholarship, and then when he decided not to take it because Bombay wasn't going to be there, she had been happy. Then he decided to go anyway, and she had cried for three days.   
  
"You would hate it here" Dean said softly. Joanna sighed. "It's a prep school, and you would have no friends, you don't fit in"  
  
"And you do?" She snapped.   
  
"I don't, but at least I have the Ducks" Dean replied.   
  
"So, I would have the ducks to" Joanna replied. "Or at least you and Fulton"  
  
"You would hate it here" he repeated. He wanted to add 'just like I do' to the end of the sentence. "Plus, dad wouldn't send you here, he would do the math and realise that it is just not efficient price wise. Double plus, Eden Hall doesn't even have a baseball team Dean"  
  
"Damn hockey school" Joanna growled. Like a lot of things, she got over it quickly. "But anyway, tell me the situation on Julie?"  
  
"I really like her"  
  
Joanna laughed. "Have you injured yourself yet?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Injured yourself" Joanna repeated slowly, punctuating each word. "When you liked that blonde two summers ago, you walked into a brick wall. The summer before that you fell down a set of stairs when you were teaching me to blade and that dog walker went by. And don't get me started on last summer, when you hit yourself in the privates because you were to busy watching what Chloe Hannah as she served us at the steakhouse. Have you injured yourself yet?"  
  
"Yeah, cut my hand open" he admitted, looking down at one of his bandaged hands.   
  
"It must be love then" Joanna grinned. "That is the only explanation to your behaviour."  
  
"Could you be serious?"  
  
"I am serious" was her reply. "What else happened with her. Have you kissed her yet?"  
  
"Yeah, a few times" he replied. It was amazing, he had no idea it would be this easy to talk to Joanna about this. He had thought it would be odd, but just hearing her voice was making him just tell the story.   
  
"Did she kiss you back?" Joanna asked him.   
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Was she dating this other guy when you kissed her?" She asked. Then, she took on a tone of false outrage. "Are you the other man?"  
  
Dean laughed at his sisters exclamation. "No, she started with him after I kissed her."  
  
"What are you going to do?" she asked.   
  
And here is was, time to swallow his pride and ask her for help. "I was hoping you would know"  
  
"My advice" She began seriously. "Go beat the shit out of him. Make him bleed"  
  
"Thanks, but I don't want her to hate me. She really likes him" Dean sighed. He felt like telling her that he wanted to go beat the shit through him, but it would not solve anything.   
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"They slept together" he muttered.   
  
"What?" Joanna almost dropped the phone. "How do you know that?"  
  
"I saw her leaving his bedroom last night" Dean replied softly. There were others in the room, using other phones, and he didn't want stories to make their way around the school about Julie and Matt, it would be two painful for him to hear the gossip. It would be to painful for him to see Julie in pain because of the Eden Hall grapevine.   
  
"That means nothing." Joanna scoffed. "Last summer when Fulton visited here in Chicago, you saw me leaving his room in the middle of the night, you didn't automatically suspect us of doing anything"  
  
"That was different, you and Fult are friends. You say so yourself, Fulton is the brother that you wanted, but you got stuck with me instead." Dean explained.   
  
"So how do you know that Julie and Matt the vacuum salesman are not just friends" Joanna laughed. "Maybe he is trying to sell her a dust buster"  
  
"You didn't see them" He replied, trying not to cause himself any pain by saying it outright. "They were very…  
  
"Very what" she asked.   
  
"I cant talk to you about this." he sighed. "You are my little sister"  
  
"I am 15" Joanna replied casually, and once again, Dean could imagine her shrug. "I am old enough to be doing it, so I am old enough to talk about it"  
  
Rage filled Dean's body. "You better bloody not be having sex, young lady, or I will hunt down who ever it is and kill him with my bare hands."  
  
"What, so it is ok for you to be 16 and having sex, but it is not ok for me to be 15 and having sex" Joanna exclaimed, this time, her outrage was not fake this time.   
  
Dean went to yell his reply into the receiver, and then looked at the other people at the phone bay. Where he was sitting on the floor, he turned his back to them, and whispered. "I am not having sex"  
  
"Doesn't mean you cant" Joanna replied. "And it doesn't mean that you haven't before, you dirty great hypocrite"  
  
"Are you having sex with anyone?"  
  
"I thought this was about you and Julie" Joanna tried to change the subject.   
  
"Answer the question Joanna Lee." he whispered dangerously.   
  
"Why, so you can pretend to be the protective big brother?" she asked him.   
  
"Are you?" he growled.   
  
"Only with Fulton" Joanna replied sarcastically.   
  
"So that's a no" he sighed and relief.   
  
"Can we get back to your problems please?" She asked, this time successfully changing the subject. "She may not be sleeping with this guy, you don't know for sure"  
  
"And how do I find out for sure" Dean asked.   
  
"Ask her" She replied simply.   
  
Dean was amazed at the suggestion. She had said it as though it was as simple as that, as though it was as easy as asking her to pass the salt at dinner. "I cant ask her"  
  
Joanna smirked. "Fine, then go crazy thinking about Matt lips on her skin, his hands"  
  
"Shut up" Dean snapped.   
  
Joanna only smiled and continued. "Sliding down her back, her fingers wrapping around…"  
  
"Shut up or I hang up" he warned.   
  
"Fine" Joanna shrugged. "But until you know for sure, it will drive you crazy"  
  
"But I cant ask her" Dean replied. He was just amazed that Joanna would think that it was all so simple. "I told her I didn't care"  
  
"And why would you do something like that, you great oaf" Joanna practically yelled back.   
  
Dean had to yell back. "Because it was what she wanted to hear"  
  
"Dean William Portman. Have you learnt nothing from me and mom over the years" Joanna sighed, rolling her eyes. Dean cold tell that she was rolling her eyes at him. It was a family trait, and when they both did it, it was like looking into a mirror. "When a girl asks 'Does my ass look big in this?' you say"  
  
"No" he replied.   
  
"Good boy" Joanna smiled, if she had of been in arms distance of him, she would have patted him on the head like a dog, Dean was sure of it. "And when a chick says 'go away' she really means"  
  
"Go away" Dean tried.   
  
"No, she means stick around, because I am not quite sure what I want at the moment, but when I work it out, you will be the first to know" Joanna explained.   
  
Dean sighed. "So, this means that she has worked out what she wanted?"  
  
"It means that you are a bonehead" Joanna snapped. "You stepped back, and she thought she had lost an option"  
  
'That is not what is going on" Dean replied quickly. "I told her to work out what she wanted, then come to me"  
  
Joanna thought for a few seconds. "When did you tell her that"  
  
"A few days ago"  
  
"And you expect her to be able to make a decision between you and Matt Hoover of Hoover vacuums in just a few days. She probably needs time" she replied.   
  
"Then why did she sleep with him" Dean asked softly.   
  
"Because she probably didn't" Was her reply. She sighed, Joanna honestly thought that she had covered that already. "You don't know for sure that she did till you ask her"  
  
"And how do I ask her? Oh wise and powerful Yoda" he asked sarcastically.   
  
"I don't know, just walk up, ask her if she slept with him" She replied nonchalantly, ignoring her brothers sarcasm.   
  
"I am not going to do that" he replied.   
  
Joanna shrugged. "Then don't"   
  
"I wont" He told her firmly.   
  
"Fine" She snapped.   
  
"Fine" He snapped back.   
  
There was a heavy silence between the two of them. Joanna wondered if he was going to hang up on her. It would not be the first time that he had done so. "Dean, all I am saying is that you will not know for sure until you ask her. And don't just trust some one else on this. Hear it from her."  
  
"It is just so…" Dean tried to explain it. He held the phone between his shoulder and ear, and pulled at a loose thread of one of the bandages absently. "I hate it"  
  
"This injury?" Joanna asked softly. "Self inflicted?"  
  
"Yeah"   
  
Every other time that he had hurt himself over a girl. The walking into walls, the falling down stairs, that was all accidental. Joanna had never thought that Dean would purposely hurt himself over some girl. Julie would have to be a fantastic girl for Dean to be this far gone with her. "Dean, seriously, if this girl means that much to you, just talk to her again"  
  
"I cant" Dean admitted brokenly. "I have been avoiding her all day. As soon as I look at her, I know I am going to do something stupid"  
  
"Then give yourself some time" Joanna replied.   
  
"How long?" Dean whispered sadly.   
  
"How long do you need?"  
  
Dean could not help but smile to himself. He didn't remember Joanna being like this. Being so easy to talk to, and so intelligent. She seemed to always know what to say to make him feel better. "When did you get so smart Joanna?"  
  
"When you moved away and became a prep" She laughed.   
  
"I am not a prep!"  
  
"Keep telling yourself that." Joanna dismissed. "You are going to graduate your preppy school and go to preppy college, get a preppy job, meet a preppy girl and have preppy children"  
  
"I am not a prep. I am the same Dean Portman" he assured her.   
  
"Only in love" His sister teased. "Are you coming home for Christmas?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
Joanna grinned, her brother was coming home, now she just had to ask about the brother that she had adopted the summer before. "Bringing Fulton?"  
  
Dean laughed at the enthusiasm in his sisters voice. Every one in the family loved Fulton, it was usually the joke around the dinner table that they were disowning Dean and adopting Fulton. Dean shrugged. "He might go to his girlfriends"  
  
"Fulton has a girlfriend, how sweet" Joanna smiled. She was glad Fulton had met some one, he deserved it. "Send him my love then"  
  
"Will do" Dean smiled.   
  
Joanna grinned. "Send Adam Banks my love as well"  
  
"You have never even met Adam" Dean replied.   
  
"Doesn't mean he is not my soul mate" Joanna smiled dreamily. She was only joking around, she had picked the first name that she remembered from the ducks, but she loved it when Dean would get protective of her.   
  
"Please be joking" he groaned.   
  
"Ok. Adam is not my soul mate." Joanna admitted. "That hot Latino Mendoza, now that is a man that I could…"  
  
"Don't you dare finish that sentence" Dean groaned. He could tell that she was joking. It was just something that Joanna did to annoy him. Joanna has actually never met any of the Ducks. Only Fulton, who was brought home for visits.   
  
"When do I get to meet your friends?"  
  
"When, umm, never" Dean replied, pretending he was thinking about it.   
  
Joanna couldn't help but smile. "To bad, I will meet them in two months"  
  
"Two months?" He was confused, why on earth would she be visiting the Ducks in two months, unless. Oh no, not that, anything but that.  
  
"Sure, you think Mom and Dad would let you make your acting debut without us there, we are going to be in Minnesota, front row centre."  
  
"Fuck no" he groaned, that had been what he had been dreading. His parents and sister coming to the play. "Can you talk them out of it?"  
  
"Why? this is going to be fun" Joanna smiled. It was good to tease him.   
  
"Fun?" he groaned.   
  
"Sure"  
  
"I will give you a hundred bucks if you get them to stay home" Dean bribed. "Two hundred"  
  
Joanna smiled. This was to much fun. "And miss the opportunity of seeing my two favourite boys in the world prancing around in tights"  
  
"Tights" he exclaimed. He had never thought of what they would be wearing on stage. Would Meredith really make them wear tights?  
  
"Sure, most Shakespeare is presented in tights"  
  
"Shit. I hate this" he groaned. "I really hate this"  
  
"Dean, it will all be ok" she told him softly. "Everything"  
  
"Thanks Joanna" It had been good to talk to her. Averman had been right about it all. It was amazing to think that Averman could be right about anything.   
  
Dean looked at the others in the room and admitted. "I do miss you sometimes"  
  
"I miss you to" Joanna grinned.   
  
The recorded voice broke into their conversation. "Time almost up, please insert another quarter"  
  
"Shit, Joanna, I don't have any more cash" He told her, standing from his spot on the floor.   
  
"That's cool, I have to get to baseball training anyway" she smiled.   
  
Dean checked his watch, with was 10 to 4, and his extra hockey practice started at 4 o'clock, so he would have to get going, as much as he didn't want to go to practice, because that meant that Julie would be there. "Yeah, I have to go to Hockey soon to"  
  
"Ok, well, don't be a stranger, call me again" Joanna ordered playfully.   
  
"I will, thanks for the advice" He smiled. "I love you Joanna."  
  
"I love you to big bro"  
  
Dean smiled as the dial tone rang in his ear. He was glad that he did that, taking to her had made everything, well, not better, but at least manageable. He didn't realise that he missed his sister. Or his whole family, as much as he did.   
  
Turning to go to practice, he stopped, stuck, with no place to go. Standing right behind him, was the one person he had tried to ignore.   
  
"Hi Dean" Julie whispered, looking at her feet.   
  
"Hi"  
  
And neither of them moved.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Shout outs  
  
Pixie13 - Reviewing in class, I am proud of you!  
  
Kayla - Yeah, poor misguided Portman. He thinks that they did it, but we all know that he didn't. Destruct and Self destruct is actually what I do, so that it where I got the idea for it. Things get thrown and then the tears start. It seems like such a Portman thing. Should he be going to hospital? No, he can be ok. Big tough bloke. And the cuts weren't that bad. Yeah, CSI was good, it is my favourite show.   
  
Bloody Raine - Yeah, Julie is playing games with him, whether he knows it or not. Poor Portman.   
  
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - Poor Dean. Everyone is saying that. The Cleavers. I am glad I got that right, I live in Australian, so I am guessing one most of these Americanisms.   
  
Duck Hockey - Don't worry, he wont spread it around.   
  
Snorts90 - Thank you for your review, I am glad you liked last chapter, I liked it to. I just hope that this one is satisfying.   
  
Amy77 - Don't run around screaming, you might hurt yourself. And do cry. It will all work out.   
  
Erin - Thank you for your review.  
  
Melanie - Yeah, Fulton really is a big Teddy. Thank you for the review. 


	20. just a little bit of the truth

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 20  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine, none of it. Except for what is mine, then it is mine.   
  
Notes - Well, I hope you like this one. Unfortunately, my computer spazzed up and the scene deviding things don't show up, so I have to so this really dicky thing and write scene change, How crap.   
  
(Start of Chapter)  
  
The two hockey players just stared at each other. Others in the room glanced across at them, and then turned back to each of their individual phone conversations. Dean and Julie stood, a few feet apart, and neither said anything.   
  
Dean didn't want to have to open his mouth. He stood and wished, not for the first time in his life, that the ground would just open up and swallow him whole. The relief that he had felt after hanging up after talking to his little sister left him, and now, he was back to being the confused, angry, lost person that he hated being. He clenched his fists at his side, wincing as the cuts screamed in pain, and stopped himself from turning back to the payphone and calling Joanna again.   
  
Julie, on the other hand, had a head full of things to say, but none of them seemed to be right. She would go to say something, and then stop, dismissing it. All she really wanted to was tell him the truth. What she had admitted to him the night before with Matt. All she wanted to do was tell him he had been right all long. That she did like him.   
  
"Hi" she said again. That was as good as any place to start.   
  
"You said that already" Dean smirked, hiding his hands behind him. He didn't want her to see them and then try to baby him. He didn't need her thinking that he could not look after himself.   
  
"So I did" Julie laughed nervously.   
  
"We have to get to practice" Dean replied, walking past her towards the door.   
  
"Dean" Julie whispered, catching his hand in hers as he passed. Dean felt his eyes water as she held his hand, the one that had the most cuts.   
  
"Shit" he winced and pulled his hand away quickly.   
  
"Oh, I am sorry" Julie replied. Way to go Gaffney, cause him some physical injury. She looked at his hand, the clean white bandage had a little red on it, he was bleeding. Julie reached for his hand. "What happened to your hand?"  
  
"I cut it open" He told her quickly, pulling his hand away from her again. This was exactly what he had not wanted. Her to be concerning herself with him. "We have to go"  
  
"Dean" Julie sighed as he took a few steps away from her, shoving his hands into his pockets so that she could not hold them again. "Talk to me, are you ok?"  
  
"Like you care" Dean mumbled as he continued out of the building.   
  
"Of course I care Dean" Julie called after him, striding to catch up to him as they made their way to the rink on the other side of the campus. "Dean, what makes you think I wouldn't care"  
  
"You expect me to think that you honestly care." He asked her, stopping and turning to her. "After the way that we have been treating each other lately?"  
  
What was going on? He was acting like he hated her. "Dean?"  
  
"Lets just go to practice" he sighed, turning away from her again. He didn't want to be in a conversation with her right now. The conversation would turn into a fight, and he couldn't fight with her now. It would be to hard. "Orion will bench us if we are not there"  
  
But Julie just reached out, trying to stop him from moving away. Her fingers caught his belt loop and pulled him back to face her. "I want to talk to you"  
  
"I don't" He whispered, and Julie felt like he had slapped her. "Julie, please, just, let me get to practice"  
  
"Dean, please, I need to talk to you" she tried again. Dean just turned and kept walking.   
  
"Sure you don't want to talk to Matt?" he called over his shoulder.   
  
"Dean" Julie yelled, but he kept walking. She cursed and ran after him.   
  
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have snapped" He told her when she caught up with him at the door of the ice rink. He held it open for her, and she went in and followed, they paused outside of the door to the change rooms. It was best of the team didn't hear about this. "But really, you two have been so close lately, I am sure that you would rather talk to him about all this."  
  
"I cant" Julie replied. She wondered if now was the right time to let it all out, to tell him the truth.   
  
But the idea was squashed when he replied. "Well, I am sorry, but you cant talk to me anymore"  
  
(Scene Change)  
  
When the door opened, Rebecca dropped her violin and looked up at her roommate, who looked exhausted. Julie was in the sloppiest clothes she owned as she crossed the room and fell face first onto her bed. It was hard on the Ducks, since today's practice was a punishment for all the detentions.   
  
"How was practice?" Beck smirked, expecting her friend to sware at her, or to at least give her the finger.   
  
"Long and boring" Julie said. Beck only just understood her, because her words were muffled into the pillow. "I think I just want to go to sleep"  
  
"Oh, then I guess that you wouldn't appreciate me practicing?" Beck replied. She had written a little bit more of the music for Meredith, and now she was just playing whatever, to see if she could inspire herself into writing some more.   
  
"No Beck, you can practice." Julie replied, rolling onto her side "Music is soothing, and I think I need that. Maybe it will calm me down a little."  
  
"What's wrong" Beck asked. It seemed that all she was doing lately was asking people what was wrong.   
  
Julie collapsed onto her back on the bed. "I am just so frazzled"  
  
"What happened?" Beck asked, putting her violin away. It looked like she would have to play best friend for the afternoon instead of practicing. She was yet to work out if that was a good or a bad thing.   
  
"I tried to talk to Dean before training, and he blew me off" Julie sighed.   
  
"Can you blame him?" Beck replied softly as she stored her violin under her bed.   
  
"What is that suppose to mean" Julie sat up and stared at her friend.   
  
"Nothing" Beck replied.   
  
"No, stop dismissing statements like that as nothing. You mean something. What do you mean?" Julie snapped irritably.   
  
"I mean, you cant really blame the boy. He is heart broken" She replied, sitting on her bed again.   
  
"Heart broken?"  
  
"Julie, honestly." Beck sighed. Julie was a smart person, got straight A's all the time, and yet she honestly couldn't see that Dean was in pain. That she had caused that pain.   
  
"What do you know about it?" Julie retorted angrily. She could not believe that Rebecca was taking that tone with her. How dare Rebecca say something like that. She didn't know anything about what was going on. Not really. The only people who honestly knew were those who were involved, in other words, her and Dean. No one else.   
  
"I know plenty Jules." Rebecca replied firmly. "I have spent the last week practically attached at the hip to the boys roommate, so I know about it"  
  
"I doubt that" Julie sighed, rolling over on her bed to face the wall.   
  
"Really" Beck stood and crossed to her friends bed, sitting on the edge and resting a hand on her shoulder, turning the other girl to face her. "So you mean I didn't walk into their room to see it trashed." She asked. Julie's eyes went wide. Destruct and self destruct. "You mean I didn't sit with him and clean up his bloody hands that he had shoved through a mirror. I didn't hold him as he cried about you"  
  
"What?" Julie was amazed. Beck had been with him in the aftermath of his mood? He usually pushed everyone other then Fulton away. Julie tried not to feel jealous.   
  
"You broke his heart Jules." Rebecca told her. "He is emotionally wrecked. Just because you and Matt, well, you know"  
  
Julie was confused. "What? Kissed?"  
  
Beck rolled her eyes at the other teenager. "Slept together"  
  
"What?" her jaw dropped. What the hell.   
  
"He saw you leaving Matt's room Julie. He heard what you said to one another." Rebecca replied. "Julie, it would have been nicer to just cut his heart out with a rusty ice skate."  
  
"He saw me leaving Matt's room last night?" Julie repeated softly, trying to make it all sink in properly.   
  
"Yes" Rebecca sighed. "Seeing the two of you like that was the straw that broke the camels back, so they say. He went postal on his and Fulton's dorm room and did his hands some damage. He was lucky he didn't do any nerve damage. I pulled a huge piece of glass out that was dangerously close to the bone."  
  
Julie finally realised what it was that they were talking about. "He did that because he thinks I slept with Matt"  
  
"Didn't you?" Beck asked.   
  
"No" Julie exclaimed, standing from her bed and beginning to pace the room.   
  
"Oh" Beck mumbled. Well, this just put a whole new twist on the situation, didn't it.   
  
"I didn't sleep with him, shit Beck, you know my thoughts on sex. You of all people should have known that I wouldn't just sleep with Matt like that." Julie replied. She could not believe that Beck, who was a friend of hers, would think that she would just sleep with Matt like it was no big deal.   
  
"Sorry" Beck muttered.   
  
But Julie just couldn't believe it. "But I guess you didn't think to try and set him straight, you didn't assure him that I wouldn't have"  
  
"Hey, how was I suppose to know that you didn't, all I knew was that you were leaving Matt's room and talking about how whatever you had done meant to much to you. That was what Dean heard" she replied.   
  
"Hearsay!" Julie yelled. This just kept getting better and better, her friend thought that she had slept with Matt, and she didn't even have any evidence. Julie was steamed now. "You based an opinion of me on hearsay. Beck, I thought that we were friends, you trust him instead of waiting to see what I would say"  
  
"Ok, I am sorry, but you didn't see him" Rebecca replied, trying to calm Julie down. Maybe if she got Julie to see it her way. "Dean was crying, he was in pain. I believed him. You would have to if you had of been there"  
  
Julie growled to herself. "Are you on his side?"  
  
"I am on no ones side" Rebecca replied, remembering what Fulton had told her that day out side of the art gallery. "There are no sides Jules"  
  
"So now he thinks that I slept with Matt" Julie asked, sitting again, and taking a calming breath. "That is why he doesn't want to talk to me?"  
  
"I don't know" Rebecca replied, just glad that she was calming down a little. "All I know is that emotionally, he was a mess last night"  
  
"Still was today. You should have seen the look in his eyes Beck" Julie whispered, remembering how he had treated her before training. He did look emotionally wrecked, that much was true, but there was something else there to. "He looked as though he hated me, like he was disgusted with me. But he also looked so sad."  
  
"Do you know what you are going to do?" Beck asked. Julie sighed.   
  
"Well, I guess I have to talk to him. Tell him that nothing happened between Matt and me. Tell him the truth" Julie replied, only working out what she had to do moments before she voiced that thoughts.   
  
"And what is the truth?" Beck asked, interested.   
  
"That I don't want Matt. He helped me see that. I don't want to be with Matt. I think I want to be with Dean." Julie told her. "If he still wants me"  
  
Beck grinned, it was about time Julie realised it, now they had to realise it together. "Julie, of course he still wants you. He has been pretending he doesn't care, but he never would have reacted like this if he didn't"  
  
"I know." Julie smiled. "But he hates me."  
  
Beck was about to go on with the conversation when they were interrupted by a knock at the door. This always happened to them when they were talking. Beck smiled. "Do you want me to get rid of them?"  
  
"No, its ok" Julie waved her hand in the direction of the door. When she opened it, she could not help but smile. Fulton.   
  
"Hi Beck" He greeted. "Hi Jules"  
  
"Hi" Julie smiled and then stretched back onto the bed.   
  
Beck took his arm and pulled him to the far corner of the room so they could talk without being heard. "How is Dean?"  
  
"Cleaning the mess he made." Fulton replied. "He kicked me out of the room to make sure I didn't help him. He is in the remorse phase, wont stop apologising."  
  
But Julie heard anyway and sat up. "He is in your room?"  
  
"Yeah" Fulton replied quickly, looking between the two girls. There was a worried look on Beck's face that made him a little uneasy.   
  
Julie stood and made her way to the door. "I have to go talk to him"  
  
"Julie, is that such a good idea" Beck asked her. She had been very worried about this.   
  
Julie nodded, she was sure of what she was doing. "I want to talk to him about this, sooner rather then later"  
  
"Be careful" Beck told him, hugging her quickly. It was great to know that even though they had had an argument, they could still be great friends afterwards.   
  
Julie got as far as the door before turning back. "Beck, I am sorry I yelled at you"  
  
"Don't be" She smiled and shooed her out the door. If Julie thought she knew what she was doing, then Beck was going to trust her. "Good Luck"  
  
(Scene change)  
  
Julie stood outside of the door. Three times she had reached up to knock, and three times she had pulled her hand away, unsure of what to say to him. This was a situation that she had never been in before. What do you say to the boy who could very easily be the most important relationship of your teenage life who thinks that you have slept with another boy, a boy that he cant stand. Wow, when you look at it that way, Julie realised, it was very Jerry Springer-ish. Or maybe not, since none of them were hookers, transvestites, had fetishes or wanted to have sex in a dumpster. Julie, you are rambling.  
  
She reached out to knock again, and this time she wished that she hadn't What was she going to say to him? Please let him not be there.  
  
"Come in" He called through the door.   
  
She took a deep breath and opened the door and entered. "Hi"  
  
"Hello" Dean looked up from where he was on his bed. The room had been cleaned. The bin in the corner was overflowing, and there were quite a few less items around the room. "What's up"  
  
"I wanted to talk" Julie replied, her back still against the door. The picture of the ducks that was on the wall beside her looked as though it had been put back together with sticky tape.   
  
Dean sighed. "Julie, I said earlier, I don't really want to talk to you"   
  
"Then you can listen" Julie said firmly, taking a seat on Fulton's bed, she didn't know where she had got the strength to say that. Dean looked a but taken aback, but smiled to himself.   
  
"Fine" He shrugged. "What do you want to say?"  
  
Now that Julie had said that, she had no idea what to say next. Her mind went back to what Rebecca had said. "Did you really punch a mirror?"  
  
"Shit Beck" Dean rolled his eyes. He had wondered why he had trusted Rebecca in the first place. Well, there was no point in denying it. "Yeah, I did"  
  
"Beck said it was pretty serious." Julie said softly, eyeing his bandages. Dean saw that she was looking at his hands again, and hid them from her sight again. He didn't want her staring at him like that, it was unnerving.   
  
Dean dismissed the situation. "I will be fine, been injured worse on the ice"  
  
"Are you going to go to the nurse about it?" Julie asked. She could tell he didn't want her concern, but she could not help herself. She had to ask.   
  
"Already have" Dean returned quickly. "Orion made me go after he saw me at training."  
  
"What did the nurse say?" Julie asked him.   
  
Dean smirked. "That I should see a psychiatrists"  
  
"Are you going to?"   
  
"No need to" Dean replied. He thought about it for a second and realised it was true. "I got some great advice from an unlikely friend and then made a phone call, I feel much better now"  
  
"Well, that is good" Julie smiled, it seemed that that area of small talk was out of the way now, she could either think of a new topic, or tell him the truth.   
  
Dean stretched on his bed a little and looked at Julie. "Julie, I am sure you didn't came here to talk about my hand"  
  
"You are right, I didn't come here for that" She mumbled. Now, she had to move onto the harder stuff. "I came to talk about me and Matt"  
  
Dean's face crumbled. "I don't want to hear it"  
  
"Dean, listen to me" Julie began.   
  
"No" He snapped.   
  
"Dean!" Julie stood.   
  
"Julie please" he sighed. He really didn't want to hear this. Couldn't she see that.  
  
Julie crossed the room and sat on the edge of his bed. "Dean, you will sit and you will listen, because you have the wrong idea about this"  
  
"What, so I didn't see you leaving his room a half an hour before curfew" He asked, reclining on his forearms so that he could look at her and gauge her reaction as he spoke. "The time that you spent together didn't 'Mean everything to you'."  
  
"Dean, you have no idea what you are talking about!" She stood.   
  
"But that stuff happened?" he asked her.   
  
Julie sighed. "Yes, ok, it happened"  
  
"Then I don't need to know why" he replied.   
  
He wasn't listening, so it was time for drastic measures. In a move that always got her brothers to sit still and listen to her, she knelt on the bed, and pressed her other knee forcefully into his abdominal muscles. "Yes you do"  
  
Dean looked up at her, amazed. "Julie, please"  
  
"No, you will stop and you will listen to me, and then I will move." She told him forcefully. She wondered when exactly she had made the transformation to bitch Julie. It had happened so quickly and with no warning. "It is not what you think"  
  
"Then what is it?" Dean asked. He wondered where the sweet innocent Julie that he adored had gone, and where this one had come from. Another thing, and probably the one that scared him the most, was that he liked this power that she was showing. The girl could look after herself.   
  
"I didn't sleep with him" Julie told him.   
  
Dean's jaw dropped. "You didn't"  
  
"No" She told him. "I would never sleep with some one only a day into the relationship, especially when I am so confused about all these other things."  
  
"So you didn't" he confirmed. He didn't know what his reaction to this should be. He was relieved she hadn't slept with him, but the first thought though his head was trapped between 'I cut my hand open for nothing' and 'Well, shit, Joanna was right'  
  
"No, I didn't" Julie told him, her knee still in his stomach, pinning him to the bed. "For your own information, I am a virgin, and I am proud of that fact."  
  
"I am sorry" Dean told her softly.   
  
"You never would have given be the benefit of the doubt would you?" She asked. She had no idea why people "You just jumped to some conclusion, some stupid conclusion."  
  
"Wouldn't you" he asked her. "If you were to see me exiting some girls room, wouldn't you think that I had sex with them"  
  
Julie laughed. "I like to think that I would be mature about things and not put my hand through a mirror"  
  
"You think that, then you get put into that sort of situation." Dean replied. They smiled at each other for a few seconds, Julie still pushing her knee into him. A weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, finally finding out the truth, but as far as he knew, she was still dating Matt. Just because they didn't sleep together, didn't mean that they weren't together in other ways. As much as it annoyed him, he had to say it. "Julie, I think you should move"  
  
"Oh ok" Julie smiled. She had completely forgotten that she was pinning him to the bed.   
  
"So" Dean began.   
  
"So" Julie echoed.   
  
Dean looked at her. "Was there anything else?"  
  
"No, I don't think so" Julie replied. She had thought about telling him everything else that had happened, that she didn't even like Matt that way anymore, that he had been right all along, but there was also another little voice in her head that suggested that she wait. Everybody's emotions were stretched, maybe it would be best to give it a little time to get back to semi normal.   
  
"We are still friends, right Dean?" She asked.   
  
"Friends?" He asked. Oh god, there it was, the kiss of death, again. "Sure, if that is what you want"  
  
"What I want?" She echoed. "I think I am getting closer to knowing what I want"  
  
"Well, like I said before, when you know, let me know." He had no idea what she mean, but he had to admit, it sounded a little promising.   
  
(End of chapter)  
  
Bloody Raine - You like Joanna? That's cool. I like her to. You are jealous of my characterization? That's really cool. Cliff hanger, funny thing was, I didn't even think it was a cliff hanger till I read that.   
  
Linnie22 - Joanna is a female Dean, isn't she. That was not how I wrote her, but that was how she turned out. I don't think Dean would give up, he is not really the type of give up person.   
  
Kayla - Cliff hangers are wrong? I must have missed that memo. Fulton was sleeping in a potentially dangerous room, I didn't think of it like that. But he was. Interesting. Amazing that Dean didn't kill him in his sleep.   
  
Martajlp - I hope you like this chapter.   
  
Amy77 - You haven't missed it, I just haven't say it. It will be revealed later. Don't pull out your hair, comb overs are so last year.   
  
Melanie - The Portmans are confusing you. Don't worry, they are confusing me to. Don't worry about Dean and Joanna's names, I haven't really explained that yet. I am glad I ham helping you put off homework.  
  
Nikkiloola - I am glad you like my originals. Joanna is one of my favourites, I love the way it turned out. I plan to have her in at least one more chapter. Americanisms are hard for Australians, but I think I am managing alright. 


	21. The ghost of varsity past

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 20  
  
Disclaimer - Yeah I own them, I own them all.   
  
Notes - This is another long one, and I hope you like it, I liked writing it. Another long one, almost 6000. It may seem like this has nothing to do with anything, but by the end of it, I hope that you will love it. Review.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
There was something going around the school. Fulton could feel it in the air as he stepped into the dining hall on Monday morning. The air felt alive with the static of freshly shared gossip. He stood in the doorway and glanced over the tables before him. All of the girls seemed to be whispering, and a few of the boys looked confused.   
  
His first thought was that some how the school had found out about Dean and his adventures into the world of anger and self injury. But then, some one whispered something to her friend and handed over a red flyer. Now that he thought about it, he realised that they all had flyers.   
  
Making his way to the Ducks table, he looked at the few that were already there. Maybe they knew what was going on. "Have you guys seen those flyers that are making their way around the school?"  
  
"Yeah, I have see them, but haven't had a chance to get my hands on any of them" Russ replied, looking over his shoulder to where a group of girls were giggling and pointing to their table. "What are they about?"  
  
"I don't know" Fulton replied, shrugging nervously. If the girls were laughing at the Ducks table, that could mean bad things for them. "I haven't seen them"  
  
"Probably advertising something" Ken replied as he sat at the table. There always seemed to be an increase of giggly girls and confused boys when Eden Hall was approaching a dance. That was probably it. "Is there are dance coming up?"  
  
"I freaking hope not" Goldberg replied firmly. "If there is, I am not going"  
  
"Neither am I, formal protest." Averman smiled. Those who never had dates to the dances were always sitting out as a protest.   
  
"I would get talked into going." Guy sighed sadly, dropping his fork to his plate, suddenly depressed by the concept of a school dance. He hated going. "Connie loves school dances"  
  
Russ smirked. "Really, what do all those relationship books have to say about getting out of dates"  
  
"Don't do it, because girls get pissed when they realise it." Guy replied. The others laughed, but the laughter died down when they noticed Connie standing behind Guy.  
  
"Ahem?" she asked.   
  
Guy didn't even have to turn around to know who it was who was behind him. "Hi Connie, how are you this morning darling"  
  
"Wishing you would stop acting like this relationship is so tough on you." Connie snapped, taking a seat beside Fulton. She then lent across the table and told her boyfriend. "If you want out, just tell me."  
  
"I don't want out" Guy replied.   
  
"Shit, are you fighting, again." Goldberg interrupted them, sighing. "What break up is this?"  
  
"29" Russ replied, and then smiled at Guy. "Not that we are counting or anything Germaine"  
  
"Thanks for the support guys" Guy sighed, and then reached across the table to take Connie's hand. She huffed and pulled it away. "Connie?"  
  
"Not talking to you Guy" Connie replied, crossing her arms across her chest and then leaning into Fulton's side, making it look like he was seeking comfort. Fulton laughed, they always acted like this.   
  
"Oh come on!" Guy exclaimed. Then, he had an idea. "Connie, gossip with me, what's on the flyers"  
  
"Ooh, good question, I don't know." She smiled, eyes wide with excitement. Gossip was one of the best ways to get back on her good side. "I have been trying to get my hands on one since I set foot in the premises this morning. Must be something great then"  
  
Julie entered the dining hall and ran towards the table. Clutched in her hand was one of the flyers. "Guys, we have problems"  
  
Averman laughed. "We have always had problems, so why should we start worrying about it all now?"  
  
"Two of these were shoved under our bedroom door this morning" She said, dropping the crumpled flyers onto the table. Ken took one and Connie took the other. "Beck is out trying to get as many of them as possible and getting rid of them"  
  
"It is one of the flyers" Ken told the group.   
  
" 'Attention all Eden Hall females. Do you know this boy? Of course you do, every one does. His name is Luis Mendoza, and he is a sleaze.' " Connie read the text on the sheet before her. Also on the piece of paper was a picture of Luis in his Ducks jersey. " 'Approach at your own risk.' "  
  
"Poor Luis" Fulton muttered, taking the flyer from Connie. Ken passed his flyer down the table to Adam and Charlie, who had just sat down.   
  
"Who would do this?" Adam asked, handing it to Charlie.   
  
"Every girl he has dated in the last two years would do this" Guy told them.   
  
"Shit" Charlie looked up at the others. "Has he seen these"  
  
Ken shook his head "He was showering when I left the room. Maybe it still safe"  
  
"What the fuck is going on?" Luis asked as he approached the table. Behind him, Dean was looking around the room, the look of confusion on his face, much like many others. "Why is every girl in this place staring at me"  
  
"Well…" Julie began. She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but she knew that he had to be told about the flyers. It would be much better to hear it from her then it would be to hear it from some one else.   
  
"What Julie?" Luis asked. Julie reached out for one of the flyers and then handed to Luis. He read it quickly.   
  
"What the fuck" He muttered, and then looked up at his friends. "Who would do this?"  
  
Julie could tell that he was angry. She placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him. "Luis"  
  
"No, I am not going to take this." He replied firmly. "I am not a sleaze, you guys know me, I am not a sleaze"  
  
No one spoke until "Well" Adam began nervously. "You do date a lot"  
  
"Only compared to you Banks." Luis snapped angrily. "A monk gets more dates then you"  
  
Adam stood. "Uncalled for Mendoza"  
  
"What are you going to do about it" Luis asked.   
  
"Boys, honestly." Connie stood, stopping the two of them who looked as though they were about to start screaming at each other, or at least throwing punches. "Luis, calm down. Banksie, he didn't mean it. Luis, Adam was just trying to help"  
  
Luis nodded. He was on edge at the moment, and he shouldn't have taken his anger out on Adam. Or anyone, but he got the feeling he would be snapping at people all day. Just another reason why he hated Mondays. "Sorry Man"  
  
"Its cool." Adam replied, he held out his hand. Luis shook it and then collapsed into the nearest seat. "I am sorry to"  
  
Russ, who was sitting beside him, and was also a self proclaimed master of revenge, turned to Luis. "Right, first you have to work out who did this"  
  
"Nicole" Charlie said from the end of the table.   
  
"Nicole?" Luis asked and then shook his head. "No, not Nicole."  
  
"Nicole?" The rest of the team asked.   
  
Charlie shrugged. "My tutor that Luis has been dating."  
  
"No, Charlie" Luis replied. He had been dating Nicole for about a week, he felt a connection to her, and he didn't think that she would do something like this. "Nicole wouldn't do that"  
  
"Luis, do you know who Nicole is?" Charlie asked.   
  
Luis smiled. "Sure, a good looking girl who knows shit loads about the French revolution."  
  
"She is Rick Riley's cousin" Charlie replied.   
  
Luis collapsed forward onto the table. "She is what"  
  
"Rick Riley's cousin" Charlie repeated.   
  
"Oh no." Luis mumbled into the hard wood finishing of the table in front of him. "Oh no, I am so dead"  
  
Connie asked him. "Have you done anything to piss her off lately?"  
  
"Would it matter? She is Rick Riley's cousin." he asked the tabletop.   
  
Dean spoke up on the subject for the first time since he sat down for breakfast. "But you went on a date with her on Friday, I thought things were going great between the two of you"  
  
"They are, I mean, they were." Luis sighed sadly. "I actually liked Nicole"  
  
"Could this have all been a set up?" Adam asked.   
  
"A set up?" Ken repeated.   
  
"Yeah, maybe she only took the date because Rick told her to. So that he could turn the tables and hurt you" Charlie replied, understanding what Adam was thinking. "I think he is still angry because we beat them"  
  
"Man, that was years ago" Fulton replied. How could some one stay angry about something like loosing a hockey game that happened ages ago.   
  
"So" Russ replied, now that he thought about it, it seemed like a good a reason as any to continue hating the ducks. "We don't know how long Rick Riley holds grudges for."  
  
"A long time man" Adam replied. Out of all of them, he knew the most about the old Varsity players, he had sort of been friends with them when he had played on their team in his freshman year. "When I was in varsity, he was going on about creaming this guy that he knew in pee-wees. He doesn't let things go easy"  
  
"But why is he going after me" Luis asked. The others all looked at him. Did he really not know why Riley would hate him. Luis shook his head and collapsed forward onto the table again. This just kept getting worse and worse. "Wait, don't answer that"  
  
"Guys" Rebecca said as she reached the ducks table. In her hands were a pile of flyers. "I managed to get 198 of the flyers. However many they made, I don't know"  
  
Connie sighed. "They made a lot if they put one in each girls room"  
  
"And lockers" Rebecca replied softly, Luis groaned. This was so horrible for Luis, and it was hurting her to have to say something like that in front of him. He looked so hurt. "I stopped by mine on the way here."  
  
"Ah shit" Luis hit his forehead against the table hard.   
  
"Its ok Mendoza"  
  
"Its not ok, I am being pointed and giggled at" He replied, looking at everyone at the table. "She has to pay. What am I going to do?"  
  
"Ignore it, it will go away" Connie suggested. Julie and Connie hardly approved of pranks anymore, and the boys could careless, they went on with their pranks regardless.   
  
"No way I am ignoring this" Luis replied and then turned to Russ, who was at his side. "Russ, do we have any liquid laxative left"  
  
"No, we went berserk on the last prank and ran out" Russ mused. "Plus, it would be to obvious to do it to her to"  
  
Julie rolled her eyes at the boys. They were really going to prank this girl. "Luis, you can not be serious"  
  
"Why not?" Luis asked.   
  
Well, now that she thought about it, there was not really a reason why they shouldn't prank Nicole. Usually revenge pranks were the most fun. Wait, there was one reason. "You don't even know it was her"  
  
"And how do we find out?" Luis asked.   
  
Dean smiled to himself and said. "A very wise person, very wise, told me recently, the best way to know the truth, is to ask"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Courtney, wait up" Ken called as he followed his ex girlfriend from the dining hall. Courtney, who was in her cheerleading uniform, as she seemed to always be, turned when she heard her name being called. She flipped her hair and waited for the person who was calling her to catch up.  
  
"Ken?" She asked, surprised. They had not spoken to each other since he had dumped her. "Ken hi"  
  
"Hey, how are you?" Ken asked politely. He could not believe he was doing this.   
  
"I am really good" Courtney replied. She paused. "Dating some one"  
  
"Good for you" Ken replied. Why on earth had she told him that, he didn't need to know. In fact, he didn't want to know.   
  
Ken sighed, he could not believe that he had been talked into this. "Courtney, we are still friends right?"  
  
"Sure, of course Ken" Courtney smiled.   
  
"Good" Ken smiled, time to be the great charming Ken Wu. "Could you do me a favour?"  
  
Courtney giggled. "Ken, I am not going to make out with you…"  
  
"No, not that" Ken replied. Oh god, not that, not that at all. He handed her one of the flyers. "This"  
  
"One of these was slipped under my door this morning" Courtney replied after she read it quickly. "This is your friend?"  
  
"Roommate, team mate and friend" Ken replied.   
  
"Yeah, poor boy" Courtney sighed. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Find out who did it?" Ken asked. Courtney shook her head, refusing to do it. Ken sighed, time to pull out the secret weapon. He pouted at her. "Please, for me"  
  
"Ok, for you" Courtney caved, wondering how it was that Ken could always get her to do things, even if she didn't really want to. It was all just part of the Ken Wu package, she realised as she reached out and playfully ruffled his hair. "Give me a few hours"  
  
"Thanks Courtney."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Just hold your head up high Mendoza, it will all be ok" Luis mumbled to himself as he walked down the hall to his first period class. Yeah, good advice Connie, just hold your head up high and pretend that every girl in the school was not laughing at you behind their hands, pretend that the girls were not whispering as he passed, pretend that the few girls at the school that he had dated where not adding fuel to the fire, that those girls were not telling stories about their dates.   
  
He was not a sleaze. Just because he dated a lot did not make him a sleaze. These girls that were spreading the stories were a lot worse then him. He was a saint compared to these girls, and yet, they were being unfair to him and spreading rumours. He was not that bad.   
  
These people didn't know anything about him. They were basing this on rumours and hearsay. There were only 12 other people in this school who really knew him, and none of these girls were one of them. Luis only cared about the opinion of those 12 people, and their opinions of him.   
  
Yeah, he only cared about them, so why on earth did it hurt that these other girls were gossiping about him. It sung, and as much as he told himself that he didn't care, he knew that that was not true. Of course he cared, how could he not.   
  
The Eden Hall girls were all stuck up cows anyway. Beautiful, intelligent, stunningly gorgeous, blonde haired, blue eyed, tiny waisted cows. That was exactly what had gotten him in this trouble in the first place. His weakness for girls, but they all had their own opinions of him.   
  
They were all just paranoid They were the ones who thought that he was cheating, they were the ones who thought that he was playing them all against each other. But he knew he never once had more then one girl at a time, he never once did anything manipulative to any of them. He just dated a lot.   
  
Knowing that, maybe he could keep his head held high.   
  
Turning into his homeroom, he pumped into someone, accidentally making them drop their things. He knelt beside the person as she collected her things. "I am sorry"  
  
The girl smiled nervously. Luis smiled at her and handed her a few books. "It was my fault."  
  
Tucked inside one of her books was a sheet of paper, and Luis automatically knew what it was. One of the flyers. "You are Luis Mendoza, right?"  
  
Luis sighed, he was going to hear about it now. Knowing his luck this girl was a woman's rights activist and would start screaming at her about treating women unfairly. He decided that the best thing he could do was be nice to her. "Yeah, sorry I don't know your name"  
  
"Its ok" The girl replied, looking at her feet, and it was then that Luis realised that she would not start yelling at him, because she seemed so shy. "I wouldn't expect you to"  
  
Luis heard her tone and whispered. "Sorry"  
  
"Don't be" the girl replied, pulling the flyer from her book. Luis held his breath and watched on as she crunched it in her hand and threw it into the bin behind her. As she started off, she called over her shoulder. "Just so you know Luis, I don't believe what the flyers say"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Courtney said to give you this" Fulton shivered in mock disgust as he sat at the Ducks table and handed the piece of folded, scented pink paper to Ken. "She had cheerleading practice and an annoying giggle. I seriously forgot that she was in my art class"  
  
"Getting notes from the ex?" Russ smiled. "Ken, you are not getting back with her are you?"  
  
"Hell no" Ken replied, unfolding the note and wincing as the obnoxious perfume that the paper had been soaked in hit his nose. At his side, Dwayne sneezed. "I am just taking advantage of her friendship"  
  
"She told you?" Adam asked from down the table a little. Ken held up his hand while he continued to read.   
  
When he was finished, he passed the not to the next person who wished to read it. To the others, he said "Yeah, we were right with our first guess, Nicole Wyatt-Riley. She and her roommate Matilda made them all up last night using a ducks picture from the Eden Hall website"  
  
"Eden Hall has a website" Averman asked, amazed. "Sorry, not what I should be focusing on"  
  
"So, what are we going to do?" Portman mused. He, as well as all the other Ducks, had spent the whole day so far trying to think of ways to get their revenge. "How are we going to get back at her"  
  
Connie sighed. "Have you learnt nothing from the detentions that you got last time you set up a prank"  
  
"Sure, don't get caught" Dean replied. The others cheered.   
  
"Does any one have any ideas?" Ken asked. Everyone looked down the table to Dean.   
  
"Why are you looking at me?" He asked, running a hand nervously through his hair.   
  
"You were leader of the last one" Goldberg replied.   
  
"And we all ended in detention" Dean laughed. Had they forgotten already?"  
  
Julie took a few seconds, and then spoke up. "Guys, are you serious about this. About pranking her?"  
  
"Sure, why not"  
  
She could not believe that she was going to say this, but sighing, she admitted. "Then I think I have an idea"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Fulton looked around his room, the book sitting on his knees, reading Romeo and Juliet and waiting for Julie's prank to get underway. He had to admit it was a good idea, something that only a girl would be able to work out. Something so evil, if it all worked out, Julie would be elected queen of the pranks, and she would always have every ducks respect.   
  
And now, they just had to wait.  
  
"Lights out boys" a voice called from outside his room. That was what he had been waiting for. Holding his breath, he kept reading, and didn't turn out his light. "Lights out"  
  
There was a knock at the door, and then it opened, and Meredith stuck her head in. "Mr. Reed, lights out"  
  
"Ok Meredith" he replied, closing the book. His part of the Prank was almost over with. Both bash brothers were accounted for, and even if she didn't know it, Meredith was going to be their alibi.   
  
Meredith looked at the lump in Dean's bed. "Fulton, is Dean ok?"  
  
"Sure, he is" Fulton replied, looking at the lump. This was not suppose to happen, the teacher on duty was not suppose to ask questions. "He is fine"  
  
Meredith just shrugged. "I have just been noticing lately that he has been a bit off"  
  
"He gets like this sometimes" Fulton said, thinking quickly. Meredith, you are wasting our time. He had to get rid of her, so he said the first thing he could think of. "He misses his mom"  
  
"Oh" Meredith looked at the blanket covered lump in the bed and shrugged. Who would have thought that one half of the infamous bash brothers missed his mom so much it put him in an unusual mood. "Night Fulton"  
  
"Night Meredith" Fulton replied, sighing in relief.   
  
The blankets were thrown off of Dean's bed, and 'Dean' sat up "When was the last time Portman washed his sheets?" Adam asked with disgust.   
  
"Recently man, You just cant tell because you have a maid to clean up after you" Fulton replied, digging around under his pillow. Adam stood from Dean's bed, and the two of them crossed to the window. When he found what he was looking for, the walkie talkie that they had used in the ants prank, he pressed down the button and said. "Bed check one complete, decoy Dean worked perfectly."  
  
There was the crackle of static, and then Rebecca's voice said. "Bed check two complete, Jules, you are free to go"  
  
Julie, who was standing in a dark alcove of the girls dorm building, raised her walkie talkie to her mouth and said. "Charlie, waiting on you"  
  
"Ok, she is coming now, I can buy you 10 minutes, tops" Charlie's voice replied. Julie smiled, Distraction number one, Charlie distracting Nicole, would work perfectly.   
  
"Good. Ken, where are you?" She asked.   
  
"Give me two seconds, and Matilda will be out of the room. 15 minutes at the most" Ken's voice replied. Julie smiled. Distraction number two, Ken and Matilda, would hopefully be a success as well. The boys could buy them a window of approximately 10 minutes, and that was all that they needed really.   
  
"Ok" Julie smiled, opening the door to the building and signalling for Dean to quietly follow her. "Lets go"  
  
"You know" He mumbled as they climbed the stair together, getting to the top and making sure that the coast was clear before continuing on. "You still haven't explained what I am doing here"  
  
Julie shrugged and made her way to the door. At the other end of the hall, Ken was talking to Matilda. "You deserve this"  
  
"What?" he asked.   
  
They got half way down the hall and Julie stopped, turned around and pushed him back towards the stairwell. Nicole was coming out of her bedroom. Shit, she realised, Charlie hadn't given them the go ahead, the two of them were going to get caught on the stairs if they didn't think quick.   
  
Dean must have been thinking the same thing, because he grabbed Julie, wrapped his arms around her, and buried her head into his chest. They heard Nicole pass them, and then continue down the stairs.   
  
"Why do I deserve this?"  
  
Julie, who had been so caught up in the fact that she was in Dean's arms, had forgotten all about the conversation that they were having just before they had to hide. His arms were around her waist, holding the two of them together, and her arms wrapped around his shoulders, resting her head on his chest. She had to admit that it was nice. "You weren't here when we snuck into the Varsity dorms and gave them all ants, so I am letting you help me do this"  
  
He let her go, and pulled her up the stairs. "What are we doing?"  
  
"You will see" Julie smiled, getting her head back into the prank. They could not afford to get caught doing this. And Julie realised that maybe it was not such a good idea to have brought Dean with her.   
  
The walkie talkie she held turned to static, meaning all the others that were connected on the same frequency had been turned off. "Static. That's our sign"  
  
"Then we better get going" Julie smiled and made her way to the door of their Nicole and Matilda's dorm room. She tried the doorknob and could not help but groan. "Shit, doors locked"  
  
Dean was one step ahead of her. He pulled out his wallet, opened it, and handed her a phone card. "Here"  
  
"Phone card?" Julie asked, looking at the piece of plastic that she held in her hand. "What I am I going to do with this? Call a locksmith"  
  
He rolled his eyes, took it back from her, and moved her out of the way. "Damnit, you girls who have never broken the law. Move over"  
  
"Wow" Julie smiled as Dean slid the phone card into the gap of the door and the door jamb, jiggled it around a little, and then opened the door. "Teach me that sometime"  
  
"Yeah, ok" He smiled, leading the way into the room. "Now what are we doing?"  
  
"Bathroom" Julie told him, taking her his hand and dragging him to the bathroom door.   
  
Dean tried to hide his confusion. "Bathroom?"  
  
"Come on, we don't have all day" She sighed, opening the door and half closing it behind them. She turned on the light, and then crossed to the shelf of the girls beauty products. There was so much there, she couldn't find what she was looking for. "Come on, come on"  
  
Dean was openly confused now. "What are we looking for?"  
  
"Yes!" Julie exclaimed when she found what she was looking for. A baby blue bottle of shampoo.   
  
"Beauty 101, Mr Portman. This, is Shampoo, ah, preppy shampoo, Baksie's mom probably uses this brand" Julie began, reading the label.   
  
Dean plucked it from her hands and read the label himself. It was some French brand or something. "Banksie probably uses it"  
  
"Yeah, probably, anyway, point of the story is that this stuff retails for about 100 bucks a bottle." Julie grinned evilly, and then dug into her bag that she had with her, pulling out a brown bottle. She held it out for Dean's inspection. "And this, is peroxide"  
  
Dean understood. For years now, his mother had been bleaching her hair with that brand of peroxide, so he knew what it could do to a persons hair. "You, Julie Gaffney, are evil"  
  
"No, Dean Portman, I am the devil. Fill this" she handed him both the bottles, and Dean took off their caps, filling the French shampoo bottle, that smelt like lavender, with peroxide.   
  
Behind him, Julie was looking for something else. "What are you going to do?"  
  
She picked up another bottle, and dug something else out of her bag. "Adding instant tan to their body lotion"  
  
"You are the fucking devil" Dean replied. He hoped he never got on her bad side again, now that he knew that not only could the girl pin him to a bed, but she would have no problems with turning his hair blonde and skin orange.   
  
"That I am" She smiled, opening the bottles of her own. She put the walkie talkie on the bench beside where they are working. "Keep an ear on that static."  
  
"Will do" He smiled.   
  
For a few minutes, they worked in silence. Dean was going to be nice and just add half the bottle of peroxide to the bottle of shampoo, making their brown hair turn into an odd grey shade, but then he decided it would look better as a complete splotchy mess.   
  
As they worked, there was one thing he wanted to know. "Julie, why didn't you bring Connie or Beck with you?"  
  
Julie though for a second, unsure of how to answer that question. She couldn't exactly tell him that she wanted to spend time with him, so she had risked them both getting in trouble, so she just settled with telling him. "Because I trust you"  
  
Dean grinned, put the cap back on the shampoo, and shook it vigorously. "That's good to know"  
  
"Shit shit" Charlie's voice cut through the comfortable silence of the bathroom. "Get yourself the hell out of there" the voice yelled, and Dean and Julie panicked. They threw the lids on the shampoo and body lotion and put them back where they had been found, and then put the other bottles back into Julie's bag. "Out, now, Nicole is heading your way"  
  
Julie opened the door and then closed it again. "Eep, she is in there already" She whispered. Dean didn't need for her to tell her, he could hear the two other girls in the other room talking. "Turn the light off"  
  
He switched off the light and turned to Julie in the darkness. "What are we going to do"  
  
"Well hide, obviously" she told him, and the two of them looked for some where to hide. They both paused in fear as the bathroom door began to open. This time, it was Julie's time to think fast as she took his hand and pulled him into the shower. They squashed themselves into the corner, and hoped that they wouldn't get caught.   
  
"Where did you go?" Nicole asked as Matilda opened the door to the bathroom. Luckily for the two Ducks in the corner, she did not turn on the bathroom light, but managed with the light that was flooding in from the main bedroom. Julie sighed in relief and realised the this was the second time in about an hour that she was being held against Dean. This time, he had her pressed against the tiles of the shower, and her mind went back to all the other times that Dean had pressed her up against something when they had been kissing. Walls, Lockers, floors. Although that was really her pressing her into the floor, but there was pressing and floors involved, so we can overlook that. Julie, you ramble when you are nervous.   
  
Julie looked up at Dean. He was watching Matilda as she brushed her teeth. His breathing was even against her chest. Julie wondered if he even realised that he had his arms wrapped around her or if she was just being a big girl about it all. Maybe she was being a big girl, because all she could think of was how much she liked him holding her like this. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his middle.  
  
Being trapped in some one else's bathroom with a boy may not be the most romantic setting in the world, but being trapped in some one else's bathroom with the boy that you loved, there was something completely different and dangerous about that. Love? Oh shut up Julie, her brain told her, of course you love him, how could you not. He was everything that she wanted in a boy.   
  
Strong, loyal, loving, intense and intelligent. It was amazing she had never seen it all before. But as she stood there, she saw it all. And although it was the most inappropriate place in the world, she allowed herself to daydream.   
  
Julie's mind went to how great it would be to have his lips on her again. How nice it had been last time, and how amazing it could be next time. How she would love do have his hands on her body as they kissed, sliding up her spine as he had done that first night. And maybe she would feel brave enough to slip her own hands up under his shirt, to the wonderful toned stomach and chest that she knew that he spent so much time working on. Even in her imagination it felt so real.  
  
And suddenly the fog in her mind cleared. It felt so real because it was real. The bathroom door was shut, and she was being crushed into the tiles by Dean, who was kissing her longingly. She had no idea how long that they had been kissing, but she decided that the didn't care if they never stopped.   
  
Her arms wrapped around his shoulders to keep herself on her feet. Her knees were all rubbery, and Julie wondered briefly if Dean knew what he did to her. Or if she did the same to him. His hand came to stroke her cheeks, and all thoughts were wiped from her mind.   
  
Dean had been surprised when Julie had begun to kiss him. They had been in the shower, hiding from the other girls. He had been watching Matilda closely so that he could ignore the fact that he had Julie with him, pressed against him, and that her arms had somehow wound their way around his body. It was killing him to be trapped with her like this, but he had planned to be a perfect gentleman. He even had a mantra 'She has a boyfriend, she has a boyfriend'  
  
But that was thrown out the window when he had reached up and pulled his mouth to hers in a slow, passionate kiss. He had thought of pushing her away, tried repeating the mantra again, but there was something about the kisses this time. He could not stop. And he didn't.  
  
Her hands were under his shirt now, running fiery fingertips over his muscles (which had a slight bruise on them from where she had pinned him on Saturday.) and his bravely slid down her front, over her breasts and then on. In his mind, there was a little sign. 'Dean Portman, welcome to heaven'  
  
He imagined his next conversation with Joanna. 'Hey sis, made out with her in someone else's shower. Are you proud?' and then Joanna's reply 'Oh, so she dumped the vacuum salesman?'  
  
It was like some one had turned the ice cold water on him. Julie was dating Matt. They shouldn't be doing this. Julie was technically cheating on Matt with him. And as much fun as Dean was having, as much as the selfish side of his brain was telling him that he could easily ignore that fact if it meant making out with her for a little while longer, the other half of his brain, the one that was always there to rain on his parade, informed him that it was wrong. It was wrong, and it was time to put a stop to it.   
  
"Julie" he whispered, and Julie kissed him again. This was going to be harder then he had originally thought. He ran his hands along her cheeks again, and softly pushed her away. "Jules. We shouldn't do this"  
  
"You are right" Julie whispered when she came back to herself. Dean still didn't know the truth, and they were still trapped in Matilda and Nicole's shower. That was another thing. They were trapped in a shower. "Dean"  
  
"Yes?" he asked, taking a deep breath to steady himself.   
  
Julie could not help but smile. "How are we going to get out of here?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Shout outs.   
  
Linnie22 - Yeah Julie, tell him. Tell him *shakes fist at Julie Gaffney* tell him. Well, you never know what will happen in the next chapter.   
  
PrincessBethy - Don't worry, I haven't told anyone what the Portman family calls Dean, it will be explained in a few chapters time, I hope.   
  
Bloody Raine - *crying* Don't yell at me. Joking, yell all you want.   
  
Amy77 - You will just have to keep reading to find out what happens next.   
  
Kayla - That's cool that you reviewed small, I just expect twice as much this time.   
  
Ashcake - There you go, another update.   
  
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - You have told me about a million times that you love Beck and Fulton together, but I don't mind. Well, I don't even know what is happening (wait, I do) but you will just have to keep reading to find out what happens. 


	22. A little bit more of the truth

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 22  
  
Disclaimer - Disney owns Ducks, I own others.   
  
Notes - Happy Valentines Day all. *Dean gives Julie a red rose.* *Fulton give Beck a box of chockies* *Guy gives Connie a teddy bear* *Luis gives every girl within a 20 metre radius a kiss* well, I hope you have a good one…I will… all alone…*author cries*  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Julie stepped out of the shower and pressed her hand to Dean's mouth. "You breathe to loud"  
  
"Sorry" he mumbled into her hand. Julie grinned at him and crossed to the door of the bathroom. Behind her, Dean did a last minute check to make sure that everything in the room was the way that he had left it, and then stood behind Julie.  
  
Carefully she turned to knob and opened the door inches at a time. It creaked under her hands.   
  
"We could go through the window" Dean mumbled. Julie laughed and punched him in the stomach. It was a three floor drop to the ground, there was no way that she was going to jump out of the window. She would rather stay in there all night and get caught in the morning then jump out of a third floor window.   
  
Opening the door just enough to exit the room and enter the bedroom, Julie slid through into the main room. Dean followed her. He was holding his breath as they made their way to the door. Julie turned the knob of the main door, and it to popped open.  
  
"Nic, is that you" a sleepy voice from the bed on the left asked. Dean held his breath and looked at Julie, who had a deer in headlights look on her face.   
  
"Yeah its me" Julie found herself replying. Dean's eyes went wide, what on earth was she doing? "Go back to sleep"  
  
They waited at the door for a few seconds, and then suddenly, Julie wrenched open the door, exited, and pulled Dean with her into the hall, softly closing the door behind them.   
  
Dean was amazed. She was a gutsy girl. Just another thing that he loved about her.   
  
"To easy" Julie smiled and walked off down the hall.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Meredith looked up as her class began to enter the auditorium. "Dean"   
  
"Yes" Portman replied.   
  
"No Dean" Meredith laughed and indicated to behind him. Portman turned to look to where she was pointing and realised that Dean Buckley was walking behind him. "Dean"  
  
"Oh, Dean" Portman replied and stopped with Julie beside Meredith.   
  
"Dean" Meredith greeted as Dean Buckley met her at the door.   
  
"Dean" Portman and Julie greeted.   
  
"Ducks" Dean Buckley smiled to the hockey team as he made his way into the Auditorium.   
  
"Dean" the ducks all chorused.   
  
"Dean?" Meredith asked. She wondered what he was doing there for her English class. It was unusual.   
  
"Dean" the ducks smiled.   
  
"Dean" Russ called.   
  
"Yes Mr. Tyler?" Dean Buckley asked.   
  
"No Dean, I meant that Dean" Russ smiled innocently and called after Portman. "Dean!"  
  
"Enough Ducks" Meredith groaned. That conversation could go on for hours, with each of the ducks going through the same conversations and overusing the name Dean, any other day she would find that amusing, but today, she was much more interested in why the Dean was there. "What can I do for you Dean?"  
  
"The Ducks, a pleasure to talk to, as usual." Dean Buckley chuckled. "Go on with your rehearsal, Miss Dugas, I am here to observe"  
  
"Observe?" Meredith looked shock. He wanted to observe their rehearsal. They were still a little shaky with it all. Her actors knew pieces of the play, but they were yet to fit each of the pieces together smoothly. "Sure, take a seat, umm, Romeo and Juliet, would you like to do a piece for the Dean?"  
  
Julie and Dean, who had been sitting with the other Ducks on the edge of the stage, looked at their teacher as she approached them. "Which piece?"  
  
"Which do you know the best?" Meredith asked softly. Dean Buckley had only let her do this because she had assured him that the Ducks could act. It would be horrible if they were to get up there and prove her wrong. Dean Buckley would never allow her to make her own curriculum decisions ever again.   
  
"Ok" Portman smiled. "Want to impress them with your intellect?"  
  
"Sure" Julie grinned.   
  
"Act 2, Scene 2?" Portman questioned. Julie took a few seconds to think of which scene that was, and then smiled.   
  
"I am game if you are" she laughed. Dean helped her climb up onto the stage, and then prepared to take the Dean by storm.   
  
" 'He jests at scars that never felt a wound. But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair then she: be not her maid, for she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green and none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, o, it is my love! O, that she knew they were! She speaks let she says nothing, what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am to bold, 'tis not to me that she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all the heavens, Having some business does entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return….' " Dean recited from memory, he was getting good at this.   
  
"NO" Meredith's voice interrupted him. Dean stopped, looked at Julie quickly, and then to Meredith, who had her hands over her face, and she looked like she was sobbing. "No, no, no"  
  
"No?" Julie was shocked. Had it been something that Dean had done wrong? Something that she had done wrong? "Meredith, I thought that he was doing fine?"  
  
"What" Meredith looked up at they two on the stage. She had forgotten that they had even going though the play. Her whole world had died as soon as she started talking to the Dean. "What… What?"  
  
"Is she ok?" Adam asked as the whole class approached where the dean and Meredith were sitting.   
  
"Dean, what did you say to her?" Russ asked, amazed. Meredith was sitting with her arms wrapped around her, rocking back and forth. "You broke her"  
  
There was a sudden scramble as Meredith stood and grabbed her bag, pulling out her day planner and flipping through it quickly. "No, no, that cant be possible"  
  
The ducks looked at her, they had never seen their teacher like this. "What's going on?"  
  
"No" Meredith whined, her finger on a date in her diary. "Its true, its all true"  
  
"What is going on?" Connie repeated, louder this time. The dean looked away from Meredith, and to the Ducks to give an explanation.   
  
"It seems that there had been a slight miscalculation on the rehearsal period" he replied. "Miss Degas here believed that you had two months to get prepared for this."  
  
"What does that mean?" Dwayne asked.   
  
Meredith looked up at him. "Dwayne, poor, sweet, innocent, lovely Dwayne, it means that I am a monumental fuck up" she dropped her diary on the floor and stood. "Guys, it turns out we have less then two months"  
  
"So we have a month, who cares" Adam dismissed. "We can do it"  
  
"Oh Adam, poor, sweet, innocent, lovely Adam. We don't even have a month" Meredith was practically in tears.   
  
Luis shrugged also. "Three weeks"  
  
"Luis, poor, sweet, innocent…" Meredith began again.   
  
Russ rolled his eyes at their teacher, who seemed to be stuck on a loop. "Some one slap her"  
  
"We have two weeks" Meredith mumbled.   
  
"What!" The Ducks yelled. They could not believe it.   
  
"Two weeks, we have two weeks" Ken said, picking up Meredith's planner and counting the days. "Not even that. 12 days to be precise"  
  
"12 days" Connie sighed. "12 days. No problem, except for the fact that we are not ready, and we wont be ready before then. We cant do this. 12 days"  
  
"I think we can do it" Guy replied. Every one glared at him.   
  
Averman's glare was the worst. "Shut up Germaine you are only saying that because you know all your lines already"  
  
"You really do not believe that you will be ready to go on stage in 12 days?" The dean asked. He turned to Meredith, who was once again sitting, scribbling notes down about all the things she had to do. "Meredith, it is not to late to cancel"  
  
"Its up to the kids" she said, looking to the others, who looked scared. "If you think that you can do it"  
  
"We cant" Luis turned to the group. The rest of the group turned to stand around in a circle so that they could discuss their options.   
  
"I agree, we quit" Connie added. All the others all started to give their opinions.  
  
"Wait!" Charlie yelled, and as always, when Captain Duck spoke, the others listened. "Wait. Since when have the ducks been quitters"  
  
Russ chuckled. "WWJHS. What would Jesse Hall say?"  
  
"Guys be serious" Charlie snapped at him. "There was a point when we all thought that we would not be able to succeed in hockey, but we didn't quit then, we picked it up and flew together"  
  
"Charlie is channelling Bombay" Ken whispered to Averman, who was standing at his side. "Is any one else scared?"  
  
"I don't know, but if he makes us all get up, share we are from, and chant 'Duck's fly together' I will leave" Dean laughed from Ken's other side. "You can only go through that once in your life."  
  
A few of them didn't realise that Charlie had gone on with his lecture, but they were surprised when Charlie concluded with. "So come on ducks, what do you say?"  
  
"I say that Bombay telling you that you were the real Minnesota Miracle Man has gone to your head" Goldberg announced. "You should hear yourself man"  
  
"Guys, come on, be serious." Charlie groaned. He was so sick of this. Why did his team have to have a sense of humour? "I believe in us, why don't you"  
  
Adam was first to talk after his captains highly corny statement. "I don't know Charlie, 12 days, do you really think we can do it?"  
  
"Yeah, I do" Charlie replied.   
  
"Then I am in" Adam smiled.   
  
"I am in to" Guy spoke up next. "No point in quitting now, I already know everything I am expected to know"  
  
"No point in saying you will do it if those two don't." Goldberg interrupted, indicating to Julie and Dean who had been relatively quiet through the whole discussion. "What's Romeo and Juliet without Romeo and Juliet?"  
  
"Wait, I know this one, it is like 'how do you fit a pope in a mini?'" Averman quipped.   
  
"Shut up Averman, you are talking shit again" Guy snapped. "And you take off his hat, everyone knows that"  
  
"So Dean, Julie, this is up to you" Charlie smiled, turning to the other two. "Do you think that we can go through with it"  
  
"Well, we have gotten this far, no point stopping now" Dean admitted before turning to Julie. "I will do it if Julie does"  
  
"I am game if Dean is" Julie shrugged.   
  
"Then ok, lets do this" Charlie confirmed, and the others all cheered. The Ducks were a cheery group, Charlie had never really realised that before. He turned to Meredith, who still looked as though she was in the middle of an emotional train wreck, and smiled. "Meredith, don't call it off, we are going to go head with this"  
  
"You are" She looked happy, amazed and scared, all at once as she stood crossed to the group.   
  
"Yeah, we will give up all our spare time, nights, weekends if we have to." Charlie told her.   
  
"Hey, I didn't sign on for that!" Russ exclaimed. When everyone looked at him, he laughed nervously. "But it sounds reasonable"  
  
"Oh, class, class, you are…" Meredith could not voice how proud she was pf this group. They were willing to do this to fix her mistakes. It was amazing. "Oh, you are all so great. You forgive me for screwing up?"  
  
"There is nothing to forgive Meredith, we all make mistakes" Adam smiled.   
  
"Some are bigger then others." Portman admitted, but then smiled. "But yeah, there is nothing to forgive"  
  
"Well lets get to work then. We have shit loads to get done" She smiled and started directing people towards different jobs. "Oh, and can some one tell Matt Goddard and Rebecca Roman that they are needed in the afternoon practice today"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Rebecca jumped, dropping her pen as she felt hands over her eyes and heard the voice in her ear. "Hello"  
  
Pushing Fulton's hands away, she grinned and breathlessly said "Oh my, Fulton Reed, a bash brother, sitting at the musicians table"  
  
"Yeah, well, I venture away from the Ducks table occasionally" Fulton shrugged, pulling out the chair beside hers and sitting. "Especially to sit with beautiful girls like you"  
  
"Aw." Beck grinned and ruffled his hair a little. "You are so sweet."  
  
"Well, actually, I do have a reason for coming over here, I had to tell you something. Two things actually" he explained. Beck closed her book, capped her pen and pushed them both into her bag so that he was sure that he had her complete attention.   
  
"Yay, gossip." she smiled. Fulton laughed.  
  
"Well, do you want the good news first, or the bad news" he asked her.   
  
"You know, I really hate that question" Rebecca told him. "Because I never know whether to hear the good news first so I am in a good mood when I hear the bad news or…"  
  
"Or hear the bed news first so that the good news makes it all better" Fulton finished for her. It was amazing how many things they were still finding that they had in common with on another. "I know, I am the same"  
  
Rebecca smiled and said. "So, why don't you just surprise me?"  
  
"Ok. Turns out, we don't have two months till the play, we have 2 weeks" Fulton told her quickly.   
  
Rebecca's jaw dropped and she watched him closely to see if he was joking around. The look he was giving was dead serious. "Oh, please let that be the bad news"  
  
"It is" he assured.   
  
Beck smiled, it could not get any worse then that. Could it? "So what is the good news?"  
  
"More practices mean you get to spend a whole lot more time with me" Fulton smiled, just a little blush staining his cheeks.   
  
Rebecca groaned in mock disgust. "Gee, just when I thought that it wouldn't get any worse, now I am stuck with you"  
  
"Oh, rejection hurts" Fulton laughed, his hand over his heart.   
  
"Ah, Fult, you know I adore you" She smiled, and he blushed. Rebecca would never stop loving that about him. "So why have we got less time?"  
  
"Meredith made a little bit of a mistake" He explained.  
  
"Oh" Beck smiled. Suddenly, her mind went back to all the lines that Fulton had, and his lack of confidence that he could do it. "Are you going to be ready"  
  
"Sure" He smiled. "because you believe in me. Is the music going to be ready?"  
  
"Yeah, I will be fine with it" Rebecca replied. The music really would not be hard for her, she had finished writing the music itself, and now she just had to get approval from Meredith to use the whole string quartet, not just herself with a violin. Now all she was worried about was Fulton. "Do you want me to help you with your lines"  
  
"You read my mind." Fulton smiled. Then, something came to mind. "Did Julie tell you what happened last night"  
  
"Getting caught in the shower with Dean?" Rebecca smiled. It had been an interesting story to tell the least. "Yeah, she told me"  
  
Fulton laughed. Only Dean and Julie would be able to get themselves trapped in a bathroom together. "Dean told me he was shitting himself in fear trying to get out of there"  
  
"Yeah, I don't think I would have been game enough to just walk out like that." Rebecca replied, referring to the fact that they had waited about a half an hour before just casually walking out of the room. "They waited till Matilda and Nicole were asleep, but still. Julie is a lot braver then I would ever be."  
  
"Has Julie said anything to you about what they did to pass the time?" Fulton asked her. It was the gossiping side of him making an appearance again.   
  
Rebecca shook her head. "Pass the time, no"  
  
"Oh" Fulton replied and looked away. If she didn't already know, maybe it was not his position to tell her. Maybe Julie didn't want her to know?  
  
"Don't just leave it like that. You have to tell me now!" Rebecca exclaimed, slapping Fulton lightly. Fulton continued to look away from her. He was going to ignore her pestering till she stopped, but suddenly, Rebecca leant against his side, rested her head on his shoulder, and pouted adorably at him. "Fulton, please tell me"  
  
"What's in it for me?" Fulton asked, playfully.   
  
Rebecca pulled away from him. "If you don't tell, I will almost-dump you and you will no longer be my almost-boyfriend" she threatened.   
  
"That's mean" He sighed. "Come here" he pulled her closer to him and began whispering in her ear. He knew that he could openly say it, but this was so much better, in his opinion.   
  
"You are kidding me" Rebecca exclaimed, pulling away from him. "That didn't happen, don't lie"  
  
"I am not lying, why would I lie to you" Fulton replied honestly. That was another thing Beck realised, you could always tell when he was lying. Fulton was a terrible liar, and he was not lying this time.   
  
"Julie never told me that she made out with him" Beck replied. "I am not happy with her now"  
  
"Well, can you do me a favour and not tell her that I told you." Fulton said softly. Usually he had no problem with gossiping, but this was different. It was about Dean and Julie. "I don't think that she would appreciate the fact that Dean told me. Especially with the whole Matt situation"  
  
"Matt situation?" Rebecca questioned.   
  
"You know, she is still dating Matt, and she kissed Dean" Fulton shrugged.   
  
"Julie isn't dating Matt"  
  
Fulton's jaw dropped. This was news to him, and he would assume that it was news to Dean to, considering the conversation he had had with a very guilty sounding Dean the night before. "She isn't?"  
  
"No, the other night, she told Matt that she wanted Dean" Beck replied.   
  
"Dean doesn't know that" Fulton mused. His friend had spent quite a time the night before saying what a bad person he was for making moves on some one else's girlfriend.   
  
"He doesn't?" Rebecca shrugged. This was a surprise to her. "I thought that she would have told him. Jules planned to tell him the other day"  
  
"Well she didn't, and he is all panicking because he thinks that Julie cheated on her boyfriend with him" Fulton replied.   
  
"I didn't think he would be the type to care about that sort of thing" Rebecca said softly.   
  
"What's that meant to mean?" he asked her. He hated it when people did thing like this, passing judgement on him, and Dean, and other members of the Ducks without really knowing them. He may have been jumping to conclusions, but that seemed very much like she had implied that Portman was the type to take advantage of people like that. "Dean isn't like that at all"  
  
"Sorry" Rebecca mumbled. After saying it, she realised that it did sound very insulting. Way to go Beck, insult his best friend, why don't you insult his mother while you are at it.   
  
"It annoys me when people do that." Fulton sighed. "Don't judge a book by its cover. I mean, you know that I am nothing like what people think I am. So what makes you think that he is like that to"  
  
"Fulton, I am sorry" Rebecca stated again, great, he was taking it personally. This wasn't going to end well.   
  
"I am sorry to." Fulton whispered. "I am just so sick of people making stupid comments like that. Dean's mom raised him to be a perfect gentlemen, despite the way he acts. He would never mistreat a girl like that. Never"  
  
Well, at least he wasn't extremely angry. This could all be fixed. Rebecca sighed and rested his hand on his knee under the table. "Fulton, I am sorry"   
  
"Wow, your hand is…" He stuttered, blushing. Rebecca smiled as he said. "I have completely forgotten what I was angry about"  
  
That had not been her intention, but since it worked out that way, she was rather proud. "Well, just know that I am sorry"  
  
Fulton grinned at her. He had lied, he did remember what it was that he had been angry about, but he just didn't want to fight with her. "You have to come to afternoon practice today, Meredith wants to see you there"  
  
"Ok." Rebecca smiled, standing as the bell rang. "Wanna walk me to the music room?"  
  
"Sure"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dean sat at the back of the auditorium and watched as Julie and Connie ran through one of the scenes that they had together. His mind could not stop dwelling on the kisses that they had shared in the shower. It was amazing. Julie had made him feel alive on so many levels, and all he wanted to do was keep kissing her. But there was a problem.  
  
The problem, her boyfriend, was in the audio-lighting booth, working out a lighting scheme for the play. Dean wondered if Julie had told him yet about what had happened. Did he know that they had kissed? Was Matt angry at him?  
  
Just because he didn't like Matt didn't mean he didn't respect him. And above all, he respected Julie and her decision to date Matt instead of him. But he also knew that he had to get this off of his chest before it drove him mad. Maybe it would be ok. Maybe, just maybe, Julie had already told him. But either way, he wanted an opportunity to explain himself.   
  
Dean stood outside the open door of the audio-lighting booth and watched as Matt used a computer programme to make decisions about the lighting. Now Dean understood why Meredith needed him. When she had said that Matt knew how to use the lights, she was not just talking about flipping a switch, she was talking about using the computer programmes to have it all happen automatically.  
  
Dean took a breath, knocked on the door. "Hi Matt"  
  
Matt looked over his shoulder, amazed. He was a little scared, last time he and Dean had had a conversation, he had been pushed into a locker. But Dean seemed different this time, so maybe it was safe. Matt sighed, maybe he had come to gloat. "Oh hi Dean"  
  
"Man, Portman, please" Dean replied casually. "Only a handful of people can get away with calling me Dean, and they are all girls, so unless you want to be bunched into that category"  
  
"Ok, Portman" Matt replied, pausing the software and turning his chair to face him. Dean was still standing in the doorway. "You are not going to like, bash me up or anything"  
  
"Bash you?" Dean laughed. "No, I think that maybe you should hit me first"  
  
"Me hit you" This time Matt laughed. "Are you insane?"  
  
Dean ran a hand through his hair nervously. How were you suppose to tell a guy that you kissed his girlfriend? That you did more then just kiss his girlfriend. "Once you have heard what I have to say, maybe you will want to hit me"  
  
"Um, ok, sure"  
  
Dean took a deep breath. "Listen, this is about Julie, so…"  
  
"Julie" Matt sighed. Great, he was here to gloat. Well, gloat away Mr. Portman, I will just sit here and plan ways to kill you for rubbing it in. "Oh yeah, the Julie situation"  
  
"Listen, I want you to know that although I may not look it, I respect other people, and other peoples relationships, and I am really sorry about what happened between me and Jules the other night" Dean began quickly.   
  
Now Matt was confused. "What happened between you and Jules?"  
  
"Yeah" Dean confirmed. Matt looked as though he had no idea what he was talking about. "What, she didn't tell you?"  
  
"No"  
  
"We kissed" Dean admitted. Right, punch me if you want to.   
  
"Oh" Was Matt's only reply. He turned beck to the computer, hit a button, and the software started up again. "Good for you man"  
  
"Good for me?" Dean repeated. Why was Matt being so calm? Why was he not planning his assassination?  
  
"Yeah, the best man won" Matt shrugged, typing commands into the computer.   
  
"What?" Dean was confused.   
  
"What?" He echoed, looking over his shoulder at him.   
  
"Aren't you pissed off that I made out with your girlfriend?"  
  
"Girlfriend?" Matt was surprised. Maybe they were both as confused as each other in this situation. "Julie isn't my girlfriend"  
  
"She isn't?" Dean mumbled.   
  
"No" Matt shrugged. "Didn't she tell you any of this?"  
  
Dean rubbed his face with his hands. What on earth was going on? None of this was making any sense what so ever. Julie was not dating Matt? "Obviously not, or I wouldn't be this confused man"  
  
"Oh" Matt shrugged and turned back to the computer system.   
  
"That's it? Oh?"  
  
"Well, I cant tell you, just because Jules told me doesn't mean that she necessarily wants you to know" Matt replied. Dean groaned inwardly. Damn him and his logic, why couldn't he be like others and tell him things that were important to him? And another thing, why hadn't Julie told him?  
  
"To late, you have gotten this far into the conversation" Dean replied. Then, he moved onto a threat. "You can not leave it there, or I will bash you up"  
  
"Man, I cant say" Matt replied calmly. He was feeling brave, because he had suddenly seen a different side to Dean Portman. He was not as intimidating as he first thought. "She will seriously kill me if I tell you, and she can get scary"  
  
"I agree" Dean smiled. "Has she pinned you to a bed with her knee cap yet?"  
  
"No" Matt replied, behind him, Dean lifted his shirt, showing Matt the purple bruise in the centre of his abs. "Ouch man, that sucks"  
  
"It was kind of sexy though" Dean mumbled, mainly to himself, when he realised that he had said, he went on with what he had been saying before. "But that is a whole different story. What I need to know is what the hell is going on"  
  
"Ok, but promise not to tell her that I told you?"  
  
"Promise" Portman replied, saluting him with the scouts salute. Matt sure as hell did not believe that Dean Portman had ever been a scout, but he decided it was good enough.   
  
"She chose you"  
  
"She chose me?" he almost chocked on the words. Julie had chosen him, that meant… "As in, when faced with…"  
  
"When faced with the options, the enforcer or the nerd, she chose you" Matt replied. "She wants to be with you"  
  
"Oh wow" Dean mumbled. "That is…wow"  
  
"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either" Matt joked lightly as he tapped another command into the computer. "I thought for sure I would win"  
  
"This is, whoa, ok." Dean was out of words, he had no idea what to say about this. It was amazing. "She chose me?"  
  
"Keep saying it, it will always be true." Matt told him, then turned to explain it correctly. "the other day, she came to my room, and I told her what I felt for her. She told me what she felt for you, and we parted as friends"  
  
Dean said the first thing that came to his head. And like always, it was not necessarily the smartest thing. "So she is like, mine?"  
  
"I wouldn't go that far" Matt chuckled. It was amazing that having this conversation with him was not as painful as Matt had first thought. "I doubt that she enjoys being labelled a possession. But yeah, unless she has another boy waiting in the wings, she wants you as her leading man."  
  
"Why didn't she tell me?" Dean asked him. Matt shrugged.   
  
"I don't know"  
  
All Dean could think of now was when he could go to her. "Well, think I should…"  
  
"No, give her time" Matt interrupted him. "She will tell you when she is ready for you, completely ready, don't push her, but…"  
  
"Let her know I am still interested" Dean smiled. This could very easily be the best day of his life thus far.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Shout outs   
  
Linnie22 - Julie is an evil genius. Evil woman. Bet all the other Ducks would be scared of her now.   
  
Kayla - Sweet merciful crap! That is a bloody long review. You await the conclusion of the bathroom dilemma with bated breath, well, I hope that this is ok. Are we going to see any more of the shy girl? I don't know, you will just have to keep reading to find out. (he he he, it is fun to be the one who knows things…well, at least I think I know what is going to happen next.) you were impressed with the dialogue, well, thank you, that is nice of you to say.   
  
Bloody Raine - You are going on Vacation. I hope you have a great time. You will just have to review heaps when you get back, wont you.   
  
Ashcake - Yeah, it was Nicole who made the flyers, and now she will have blonde hair and orange skin, thanks to Jules and Dean. Yeah, poor Luis. Yeah, and the Banksie shampoo. I loved that to.  
  
Amy77 - Melted you inside? Oh, I think you better go to a doctor about that, it could be dangerous.   
  
Pixie13 - Argh, another long review, this is very cool. I am glad that you like Joanna. So far everyone likes Joanna and no one really likes Matt. How old is she? 15. I did mention it, but that's ok (it was her main point of argument in the sex discussion with Dean. He was 16 and having sex yet she was 15 and he was acting like it was a big crime for her to be having sex… in Australia, it is actually a crime, but, you get that) Happy Friday the thirteenth, and sure, I am sure Ken will have a lot of fun at your school dance.   
  
Melanie - I am proud of Julie. Really, messing with beauty products like that is something that only a girl would think of.   
  
Snorts 90 - I am glad you like it. 


	23. The clothes make the man

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 23  
  
Disclaimer - Never claimed to own them, so I am not going to start now.   
  
Notes - Ok, so I hope this chapter is ok, because I will not be able to update it tomorrow. I have to go visit family. It is Sunday now, and I wont get home till Tuesday morning, so, look forward to a new chapter Tuesday afternoon. But review so that I get a nice surprise when I check my mail.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Connie held her arms out and spun around so that the boys in the room could give an honest opinion. "How do I look?"  
  
Everyone looked at her, not sure what to say really. Averman was the first one to risk telling her the truth. "Like a nun"  
  
Connie rolled her eyes and smoothed out the skirt of the simple dress she wore. She was in costume for the play, which consisted of a simple black dress and a grey overcoat. "I am the nurse, I am suppose to"  
  
"Nurse" Guy asked, walking up to where Connie was standing. "Cant you be one of those naughty nurses with skirts that come to here" he asked, indicating to a spot about mid thigh. "And neck lines that come to here" he asked, pointing to her chest.   
  
"Guy, you are so disgusting!" Connie hit him on the shoulder and then paused, interested. "But that would be a turn on for you?"  
  
Guy grinned. "Oh yeah, major turn on"  
  
"Well, you do have a birthday coming up" Connie mused.  
  
Averman put his hands over his ears and loudly said. "La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, We cant hear you" Connie just gave him the finger and disappeared back into the curtained off section to change back into her street clothes.   
  
"Yeah Germaine" Luis added, shaking his head at the other boy. "What the two of you do in the bedroom is your business"  
  
Guy smirked and mumbled. "Bedroom, bathroom, dorm room, dining hall, classroom…"  
  
"Shut up already!" Goldberg yelled. Guy chuckled as he watched Goldberg think. It didn't take as long as he had expected before the Goldberg said. "Dorm room. Neither of you live here, who's dorm room is it?"  
  
"Don't answer, there is a one in four chance that it is my room, and what I don't know, wont hurt me." Portman interrupted. "But the knowledge that they did something in my room would be enough to make me want to throw myself off of a building"  
  
Guy smirked again. "How do you know it wasn't all of them?"  
  
"Kill me now" Russ moaned. "Please, kill me now"  
  
"Is Guy still talking out there?" Connie yelled from the other side of the curtain.   
  
"Unfortunately" Fulton sighed.   
  
"Who ever is closest, slap him" Connie yelled back.   
  
"Sure you don't want to come out here and…" Guy began, but was cut off when Portman wrapped his arm around his neck and placed his hand over his mouth.   
  
"Finish that thought, and I will snap your neck"  
  
Charlie, who was sitting on a box in the corner, spoke up. "Do you guys remember when Germaine used to be the sweet and innocent one?"  
  
Connie's voice floated back into the room. "He may have been sweet, but Guy Germaine has never been innocent"  
  
"Overshare" Russ yelled. "I move a motion that Connie and Guy cant talk for the next hour?"  
  
"Motion seconded" Adam replied.   
  
"Third" Dwayne added.   
  
"Motion passed." Charlie laughed. "Open your mouth in the next hour and we will shove socks in your mouth. Dwayne's socks. And it is up to you which one of you gets his boot socks, and which ones get his skate socks, which we are sure he has not changed since the beginning of the season"  
  
Meredith entered the room and handed Ken a bundle of clothes, his costume. "I have heard of cruel and unusual punishment, but you Ducks take the cake"  
  
"You haven't smelt his socks Meredith" Russ told her. "I share a room with him and, oh god, they are almost as bad as Portman's feet"  
  
Dwayne stepped forward to defend himself. "Nothing is as bad a Portman's feet, y'all"  
  
"My feet don't smell" Dean exclaimed, everyone looked at him.   
  
"They do" Luis told him. "Man, how come you are the only ones who cant smell them"  
  
Julie turned to Dean, who was looking at her for assurance. "Dean, your feet do smell."  
  
"Well, we all have faults. I mean…" Dean began, looking around the room at the others. "Averman is scared of ants, Fulton cant stop blushing, Charlie is allergic to nuts, Luis's favourite movie is Pretty Woman, Ken has that whole figure skating thing going on, Adam is a prep"  
  
"Would you stop saying that like it is a crime" Adam interrupted. He was sick of the teams attitudes towards preps. Adam didn't even consider himself to be a prep compared to some of the other snot nosed brats that attended Eden Hall. "It is not my fault that I have manners, class and charm."  
  
Ken spoke up, defending himself also. "And for the love of god, there is nothing wrong with Figure Skating"   
  
Dean just shrugged. "Any man who can be so comfortable in tights has to have something wrong"  
  
Connie exited the curtained dressing room and dumped her costume onto the pile of other costumes. "Says Romeo, who is about to change into a pair of tights."  
  
"Yeah, Meredith, why are we wearing tights" Fulton asked. Every male duck had had a heart attack when she had informed them that they would all be wearing tights.   
  
Meredith shrugged and pushed Dean and Fulton into the two curtained dressing areas. "Tradition"  
  
Julie laughed and turned to their teacher. "Don't worry about them Meredith, they are all just scared about the size of their package"  
  
"As a teacher, I am not allowed to be involved in this conversation, but please, continue while I go to the other room." Meredith grinned and left the back stage dressing area to go back out the front where she was helping a few art students with set designs.   
  
Dean pulled back the curtain and smiled across the room at Julie. "Just so you know Julie, I am not worried about the size of my… package"  
  
"I don't need to know" She stood and closed the curtain on him again. "I guess I will find out on Opening night"  
  
"Maybe before, hey Julie?" Connie asked from her side. Julie glared at her.  
  
"What is that meant to mean?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all" Connie smirked and went back to what she was saying to Guy. Sometimes Julie just wished that the other Ducks would mind their own business.   
  
"Ok, I am back, all conversations about body parts must end." Meredith called as she entered the backstage section again. She stopped when she saw Ken in his costume of tights and a relatively baggy shirt. He had not shame of standing in the same room as his hockey team in it. "Looking good Ken"  
  
"Yeah Ken, looking good" Dean called from behind the curtain.   
  
Ken gave the curtain the finger and said. "Real men wear tights"  
  
"Figure skaters wear tights" was Dean's reply.   
  
"Cant we just wear our own clothes on stage." Dean asked a few minutes later when he came out of the sectioned off area, pulling his shirt down over himself. He hated tights. He was a hockey player, not a bloody ballerina. "I mean, the only one of us who would have to change the way we dress is Banksie…wait, he already dresses like a Prep."  
  
Banks glared at the enforcer. "Portman, you are lucky I am not…"  
  
"What, my size so that you can pick on me" Dean laughed. Adam couldn't help but laugh either.   
  
"Boys." Meredith rolled her eyes at them. There was a strange friendship between those two. "I so don't know if you are joking any more."  
  
"Meredith, I hate this" Julie announced as she came out in a dress. Dean had not even realised that she had gone into the changing area after he had come out of it, but he had to say that in the dress, she looked amazing. He had never seen her in a dress before.   
  
"Why?" Meredith asked her.   
  
Julie rolled her eyes. "I don't do dresses"  
  
"I don't know, you look hot"  
  
"Meredith, seriously, why cant we just wear our own clothing" Luis asked her.   
  
Meredith's explanation was rather simple. "Because I don't want Charlie up there in his old green Ducks jersey. And I don't want a Juliet who wears pants, and I do not want Romeo in a leather jacket looking like he just got back from some concert. And as much as it looks good on him, Dwayne will not be wearing his cowboy hat on stage."  
  
"So, lets modernise it, like that director who did the Leonardo DiCaprio version." Charlie whined. "Lets wear Jeans and Ducks Jerseys"  
  
"I second that vote" Fulton replied, coming out of his half of the change area, also pulling the shirt down around him. "Meredith, I don't like this, these are seriously uncomfortable"  
  
Dwayne looked up at Meredith sadly. "I cant wear my hat?"  
  
"Fine, we will put it to a vote" Meredith sighed, looking amongst the Ducks. She would have to, or she would never hear the end of this. "All for going traditional and wearing tights, raise their hands" there was no surprise that none of the ducks raised their hands. "All opposed"  
  
"I love democracy" Goldberg smiled.   
  
"Fine, but before we go on stage, we are doing a dress rehearsal and I am approving what you are going to wear. No exceptions." Meredith informed them. None of them cared, all they cared about was the fact that they didn't have to wear tights in front of the student body.   
  
"Change back into your street clothes and come back out to the auditorium" Meredith sighed, turning to leave. At the door she stopped, and turned back. "Wait, Luis, your favourite movie is Pretty Woman?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Hey Meredith" Rebecca smiled as she entered the auditorium. Meredith, who had been making notes on something on the notepad in front of her, looked up and smiled at the young girl as she approached. "I thought this place would be packed with Ducks"  
  
Meredith smirked. "They are all backstage, taking away my directorial duties."  
  
"Oh" Rebecca bit her lip and looked at her feet. "Then I am not so sure you will want to hear what I have to say. I kind of made a directorial decision"  
  
"Hit me with it" Meredith sighed.   
  
"Instead of just a violin, I have enlisted the help of the whole quartet." Rebecca began softly. She was unsure of how Meredith would react, especially after what she had said about directorial duties. Rebecca realised that she really should have asked before got the others involved. "I wrote the music for a four piece ensemble and well, we have been practicing it…its really good."  
  
"Wow. That is great" Meredith was amazed that the who quartet would want to be involved in this project. She was also Amazed that Rebecca had written the music for a four piece ensemble. She surely was a talented girl. "Sure, I like the idea of all of you, if it is ok with the others"  
  
"They love the idea" Rebecca shrugged. "We are going to use this as practice, there is a interschool competition coming up, and we are going to do a section of the piece"  
  
"Well, whatever you need to do" Meredith smiled. It seemed that although the Duck's would be on stage in who knows what, at least the music will be of quality. "Believe me Rebecca, when I asked you to do this, I never expected you would put this much into it"  
  
"It is nothing" Rebecca dismissed, and really, it was nothing, She had enjoyed working on the music for this production. Meredith went back to taking her notes, and Rebecca took a breath. It was now or never. "Meredith?"  
  
"Yes" Meredith looked up at the girl. "There was something else?"  
  
"Could you write me a recommendation? I mean, if you like my music and stuff" Rebecca began. "I want to apply to Julliard school next year, I mean, they have an extraordinary music programme, and I know, the chances of me getting in are really slim, only 8 percent of applicants are accepted, but I would really like to give it a try."  
  
Meredith was amazed. Here was a girl at age 16 who know what she wanted to do, and she knew which college she wanted to get into, and she knew how to go about getting in. Meredith herself didn't even know what she wanted to do till she had been accepted into college. She had transferred courses after six months of accounting. "Rebecca, of course I will write you a recommendation. You are one of the most gifted young musicians I know."  
  
"Thank you" Rebecca sighed in relief. "Can I go hang out with the Ducks?"  
  
"Sure, have fun" Meredith dismissed her, turning back to her work. "I have to approve the programs anyway"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So, do you like, cry when the mean Beverly Hills sales ladies wont let Vivian shop on Rodeo drive?"  
  
"Shut up" Luis snapped as the other Duck's laughed. "I said it was a good movie, I never said it was my favourite"  
  
From the corner of the room, Ken said. "You sing the theme song in the shower"  
  
"I thought you were on my side!" Luis yelled at him. Ken just laughed. "Can we get over this please"  
  
"Get over what?" Beck asked as she came into the backstage area and sat on Fulton's lap. Fulton smiled at her. The others smiled to, the general consensus was that they were the cutest couple (or, almost-couple) that Eden Hall had ever seen.   
  
Fulton shrugged. "We are teasing the pretty woman over there"  
  
"Ok, since I joined in the middle, I have no idea what you are talking about." Beck replied. She looked at a few of the others, including Adam and Charlie, who were waiting to go change out of their tights. "What are you doing out here?"  
  
"Getting dressed" Adam replied.   
  
Beck laughed at how suspect that sounded. "Once again I joined in the middle, I have no idea what you are on about, and this time, I don't think I really want to know"  
  
"We were trying on costumes." Dean explained to her.   
  
"Damn, and I missed it" Beck smiled, disappointedly hitting her knee with her fist. "Truthfully, how sexy does Fulton look in tights?"  
  
With the straightest face possible, Russ looked from a blushing Fulton to a smiling Rebecca and replied. "Oh, he is a burning hunk of man meat, that's for sure"  
  
The bell rang, and Goldberg stood. "Good, lunch, I am starving"  
  
"When are you not?" Averman asked. "Lets go" The team began to leave, all except Julie, who was still tucked into her corner.   
  
"Jules, you coming?" Beck called back over Fulton's shoulder as her threw her over it and carried her out of the room.   
  
"Be there in a sec" Julie replied.   
  
Fulton turned to his friend. "Portman?"  
  
"I'll hang around here with Julie" Dean replied, not taking his eyes off of her. He had been hoping that they could spend some time alone together today, have a chance to talk. Maybe then she would tell him the truth, and then he could kiss her without feeling guilty. "Are you ok?"  
  
Julie looked at him. He had asked if she was ok. Julie had thought that she had hid the fact that there was something wrong with her rather well. But as always, Dean was full of surprises and had worked it out. "I am fine, lets go"  
  
"You are not fine, what's going on?" Dean took her hand and the pulled her to sit on the floor with him, their backs resting against the brick wall, their shoulders resting comfortably against each other.   
  
"I just, well" Julie stopped. She wanted to tell him that she was not dating Matt. She should have told him the other night when they were trapped in the shower. She should have told him the other night when she had told him that she had not slept with Matt. Maybe if she felt brave enough to tell him that she was not dating Matt, she could work herself up to telling him everything, that she loved him. "I need to tell you something"  
  
"What?" Dean asked. He hoped that she would tell him that she wanted him. Because then this day would replace yesterday as the best day of his life.   
  
"I am not dating Matt" Julie told him, looking away from him quickly. This was surprising, she could sneak in and out of other people's bathrooms in the middle of the night, but she was running scared about having a conversation with Dean about her feelings. "I know, I am sorry, I should have told you earlier"  
  
"I know" Dean informed her. "Not I know as in you should have told me. I know as in I knew. Matt told me yesterday"  
  
The was a shock. "Matt told you?"  
  
"Then Fulton told me" Dean replied.   
  
"Fulton told you" Julie exclaimed. Gee, the Duck's grapevine was quick. "How on earth did Fulton find out?"  
  
"How on earth does Fulton find out about anything?" Dean asked her. It was a good question. "He is just a trustworthy guy. You look at him and start spilling secrets, it is just the way it is"  
  
Julie sighed. "Beck tells him everything, so I think we should stop telling Beck things"  
  
"Seems like a good idea" Dean agreed, wondering if she would hate him for putting an arm around her shoulders. He decided against it, it was two forward. "Can we live without Beck, that is the question"  
  
"Fulton cant" Julie smiled, resting her head on Dean's shoulder. Ok, so maybe the arm wouldn't have been two forward. "That is so cute"  
  
Dean chuckled. "I know. I have already been told I am best man"  
  
"When did that happen?" Julie asked. How come he was best man before she had been told that she would be maid of honour?   
  
"The other night…" Dean began softly, and Julie already knew which night he was talking about. "When I cut my hand"  
  
Julie held him by the wrist and looked at his hands. He didn't wear bandages on them anymore, but the worse cut still had a bandaid on it, keeping it together. "How are your hands?"   
  
"Still a bit sore, but healing, thankfully" He smiled, and softly winced as she ran a finger across one of the cuts. "And people are not looking at me like I am some homicidal maniac anymore, so that is good"  
  
A question popped into her head, and she asked it before really thinking about it. "Who did you talk to?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You told me that you spoke to some one who made you feel better" Julie began "I was just wondering who you called.   
  
Dean smiled weakly. "I called my little sister"  
  
"Dean?"  
  
"Deanie." Dean replied. "Didn't realise how relaxing she could be"  
  
"You know, you have never told me the story, why do they call her Dean?" Julie informed him. She had tried to get it out of him a few times, but there was always someone there to interrupt them before she found out. Now that she only knew half the story, she wanted to know the rest.   
  
"Because she loves me" Dean replied, Julie laughed. "What, I am serious. My name wasn't being used, so she took it as hers."  
  
Julie linked her fingers through his on the hand that she was still holding. "See, I don't get that. Why don't your parents call you Dean?"  
  
"Because to them I have always been Jake." he told her. Not many people knew this story. His family knew, and Fulton knew, he had been told on his first visit to Chicago, but no girl had ever been told the story, and he feared that she would the story is lame.   
  
"Jake?"  
  
Dean sighed. "Cheeky Jake Paddington-Richards"  
  
"Where did they come up with that?" Julie asked.   
  
"I made it up actually" Dean returned, he tried to stand, but Julie pulled him beck down so that they were sitting again. Dean tried to leave again. "Lets go to lunch"  
  
Julie laughed. "No, I am sorry, you have started the story, now you have to finish it. Who is Cheeky Jake Paddington-Richards?"  
  
"He was my imaginary friend" Dean sighed. He guess it wouldn't be that bad to tell her. As long as she didn't tell Beck, who in turn would tell all. "When I was little, I used to hate the fact that there were only two kids in the family. Me and Joanna. I didn't want a sister. Girls were icky. All I wanted was a brother, so, I created one."  
  
"Jake Paddington-Richards?" Julie asked.   
  
"Yeah, he was my best friend. But he had a cheeky streak" Dean smiled at the memory. "Liked to throw things around the room, make holes in the walls, say rude words. But mom, she always thought it was me."  
  
"I get it" Julie grinned, humouring him a little. "She blamed you for what Jake was doing"  
  
"Yes" Dean laughed and went on with the story. "One day Jake cut Joanna's hair, and when Mom yelled at me, I yelled back 'Mom, it wasn't me, it was Jake' " Dean paused and smiled a little. "From that day on, she called me Jake. Soon Dad started doing it, and then Joanna did it to…soon I was Jake to everyone, the school called me Jake, my team mates called me Jake."  
  
"Then, when I was 8 and Joanna was just about to turn 7, we were out playing baseball with some neighbourhood kids. They were all calling me Jake, like they normally did, but they said that Joanna couldn't play because she had a girls name. So she replied with 'Just call me Dean' and it sort of stuck."  
  
"Up until that stupid Don Tibbles guy came to recruit me for the games, I was Jake Portman, and she was Dean Portman." Dean sighed "Then I had to use my own name for the games, and we both sort of went back to being Dean an Joanna. But I think for the rest of my life I am going to be Jake to them, and I will always call her Dean"  
  
"Wow" Julie whispered.   
  
"Wow, that's really lame?" he asked, because that was what he was expecting her to tell him.  
  
"Wow, that's a great story" Julie replied sincerely "Wish I had those sort of stories about my brothers."  
  
"How many do you have?"  
  
"Five" Julie replied, and Dean smiled, thanking who ever responsible (his parents, really) for not having any more children after Joanna. "David, Christopher, Bradley, Eddie and Nick…I think that you met Nick. He was with my mom at the games"  
  
"Yeah, he was a good guy" Dean smiled. He looked at his watch, they had just wasted the first 20 minutes of their lunch, they should really get going. "We really should get to lunch"  
  
Julie tightened her grip on his hand , stopping him from leaving. "There was something else I wanted to tell you"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Come on Julie, you can do it. Three little words, just three little words, you can do it. "I…Well, I …"  
  
"Hey, Julie, Dean, what are you two doing back here?" A voice interrupted, and they both looked up to see Meredith entering backstage. It seemed the story of their lives that they were always interrupted just before the good stuff happened. Dean glared at his teacher, she had no idea what she had just walked into. "Off to lunch, I have to lock up. Go, Go"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Ah, dang it Meredith.   
  
Kayla - Julie is really brave, braver then me. I am glad that you liked the bathroom conclusion. Two weeks is not a lot of time, but they can do it, of course they can do it. They are the Ducks. Well, Dean still hasn't heard it first hand, but he may soon, I don't know, I haven't planned that bit yet. He almost found out this chapter, but Meredith came in. Shy girl may come back… (I really need to give her a name, don't I?)  
  
Amy77 - Nice wig. It suits you, really brings out the craziness in your eyes. You wait on the Beck and Fulton stuff? that's cool, cos I like writing it. It is a lot of fun. Hi Amy's nurse, you are really nice. My nurse is mean, she only lets me away to type.   
  
Cake Eaters Girly 99 - more scenes like them in the shower? I will see what I can do. I had fun writing that, so I think I might try to add it in or something. Sappy love stories on Valentines day. I know that. I watched Pretty Woman, so that is why I made it Luis's fave film, because I was watching it as I wrote.   
  
Pixie13 - You review small, I reply small. Lol. Anyway, hope you like this chapter.   
  
HighOnLife - Did Old Man Walsh go to jail? Good question, I have no idea, I didn't think of it, I just wrote him out. Lets just for the sake of it say he did. Thanks for your review. 


	24. Bedroom, kissing, fighting and calls

Romeo and Julie - chapter 24  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine.   
  
Notes - Please read the athours note after the shout outs, because I have an important question to ask you.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
" 'Many a morning hath he here been seen, with tears augmenting the fresh morning dew. Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs; but all so soon as the now cheering sun should in the furthurest east begin to draw the shady curtains from Aurora's bed, away from the light steals home my heavy son, and private in his chamber pens himself, shuts up his window, locks far daylight out and makes himself an artificial night: Black and portentous must this humour prove, unless good counsel may the cause remove.' " Fulton recited as he exited the bathroom, buttoning his shirt and adjusting it on his shoulders. He turned to Beck, who was reclined on her bed, and asked. "Like this one?"  
  
"What else you got" he asked, looking up from over the book she was holding. Fulton disappeared back into the bathroom and she stood, following him to stand in the doorway. "And you were right, by the way"  
  
Fulton looked up from his pile of shirts that he was sorting through on the counter. He had no idea what he was right about. It hardly ever happened, so he had to smile. "Right about what?"  
  
"The line, you got it perfect" Beck informed him, clearing a spot on the bathroom counter and sitting on it, reclining against the mirror and watching as Fulton took his shirt off. Her jaw dropped. Fulton just got so much hotter in her book. It was distracting, and she knew that she had to keep talking to stop staring. "Mr. Reed, have you been practicing?"  
  
"Only to impress you, Miss Roman" a still shirtless Fulton asked, holding up a red shirt. "This one?"  
  
"Umm…" Beck had to look away from his chest to see which shirt he was even talking about. Beck shrugged and indicated to a blue shirt that was on the counter beside her. "Try this one"  
  
"Are you?" Fulton asked as he pulled the shirt over his head.   
  
Am I what? Rebecca stopped. Had he been talking when she was staring at his chest. Damn it was a distraction. I nice distraction, but a distraction all the same. "What?"  
  
"Impressed?" he asked.   
  
Beck smirked at him. "With your acting or with your chest?"  
  
"All of the above" Fulton smiled at her. Beck shrugged nonchalantly.   
  
"Well, you acting is amazing." She admitted. Now it was time for a little teasing. "The chest…Well, could use a little work"  
  
"Gee, tell me what you really think" Fulton exclaimed, hurt. When Rebecca laughed, he turned away and muttered. "I think your chest is impressive"  
  
"What?" Beck asked.   
  
"Nothing" he had hoped that she had not heard that. But knowing his luck, of course she did.   
  
Rebecca jumped off of the bench, her hands on her hips. Although she was a foot shorter then him, she had this amazingly scary look about her. "You you commented on my chest, what did you say"  
  
"Nothing" he repeated. What happened next was a blur to him because it happened so fast, but when he came back to himself, he was being pinned to the bench, and Beck had her fingers digging in his side, tickling him. "Ah, stop, no, don't"  
  
She paused and looked up at him. "Tell me what you said"  
  
"You have an impressive chest" Fulton blushed. He had expected to be hit for the comment, but was amazed when she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.   
  
"I sware, if you weren't so sweet I would kill you for that comment" she mumbled into his chest. Fulton grinned and stepped her back a little so that he could ask about the shirt.  
  
"Opinions?" He asked.   
  
"I like it." Beck smiled, running her hands down from his shoulders to his waist, feeling the muscles underneath. "Wow, you look really sexy in that shirt"  
  
"Really?" he asked.   
  
Rebecca smirked. "Yeah, it covers your chest" she saw that he was going to try to tickle her this time, so she turned, and ran back out into the room. Fulton shook his head.   
  
As he followed her into the bedroom, he bumbled the corner of the desk beside the door, making an envelope fall to the floor. He picked it up. "Hey, what's this?"  
  
Beck, who was again laying on her bed, looked up at him and the white envelope that he was holding. It was the information pack that Julliard school had sent her. It had only arrived earlier that day, and she was yet to have a good look through it. "Oh. It is just a college I want to go to"  
  
"Julliard school of Dance, Drama and Music" he read from the logo in the corner of the envelope, and then opened the back and pulled out the sheets of paper. "Looks impressive"  
  
Beck sat up. Fulton had told her he would support her, but it didn't stop her from being worried about things. Like if she would even get into the school in the first place. She had wanted to keep it all a secret, but she knew that Fulton would believe in her. "It is, it is one of the best music schools in the world. It is really exclusive. Acceptance after audition and interview only. And well, I want to give it a try"  
  
"You do?" He looked up from the information that he was reading and smiled brightly at her. "You will make it, I know you will. Where is this school?"  
  
Beck smiled back. "New York"   
  
Fulton lost his smile momentarily, but then plastered another on into its place. It was a little less natural, but he was sure that Beck would believe it. "As in, East coast of the country New York"  
  
But Beck had seen the way his face had changed. He was not longer happy, there was something else. "Yeah"  
  
"You want to move to New York for college?" he asked the papers before him, not looking up at her.   
  
"Fulton…" Beck began. She was still on her bed and he was still in the doorway. She wished that he would come and sit with her on the bed, so that she could hold his hand as they spoke. There was obviously something wrong, and the physical distance between them was making it all so much more painful. Fulton looked as though he was closing down. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah" He looked up at her, and smiled. It was a painful smile though. "I am fine…"  
  
Beck realised what was bothering him. "New York isn't that far away"  
  
"I know…" he muttered. Rebecca stood and crossed the room to him. She was shocked to see tears in his eyes. He was not crying, but the tears were there. Fulton wrapped his arms around her. "I will miss you"  
  
Beck took a deep breath, buried her head in his chest and said "Then come with me"  
  
"What?" Fulton held her at arm length and stared at her, amazed.   
  
Beck let the excitement take over. "Come with me. Come live in New York with me. There are heaps of good architecture schools in New York. Columbia University and Cornell University have architecture programmes… and there are so many others as well…"  
  
Fulton sighed. "You just want me to come with you, just like that?"  
  
He pushed away from her gently and crossed the room to sit of Julie's bed. Beck followed him with her eyes. "Fult"  
  
"I have family here, I cant just leave" he snapped. "I mean, My dad lives here… and his new wife."  
  
Beck crossed to his side. "It was only a suggestion Fult"  
  
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have snapped, its just…" Fulton looked at his hands. "I want to live with you, it is just not that simple." he sighed, then whispered. "I probably wouldn't even get into any of those places anyway"  
  
Beck's heart practically broke. She had no idea who told Fulton that he couldn't achieve what he wanted, but she knew she hated them. She hugged him and said "Fulton, don't say that. You are really smart, and you are going to be accepted anywhere you apply"  
  
He held up his hand to stop her from going on. He was in a self pity mood, and he just wanted to continue with that. "Beck, we should just face it, I am not good at anything"  
  
"That is not true" she told him again, standing in front of him so that she towered over him. Fulton looked up at her. She was intimidating when she stood like that. "I hate it when you say things like that Fulton, because it is not true"  
  
He sighed. "Then what am I good at?"  
  
Beck bit her lip as she ran a hand through his hair. There was one thing she was sure that he was good at, put she just had to prove it to him. Sitting on his lap, she smiled and pressed her lips softly onto his. Fulton smiled, and let himself be kissed by Beck. It was an amazing kiss.   
  
When Beck pulled away, she rested her head against his forehead. "You are a bloody good kisser"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dean was upside down. Well, at least he was to Julie, who was laying across Fulton's bed, her feet resting on the wall, and her head hanging over the side of the bed. Dean, on the other hand, was pacing the space between the beds, waving his hands dramatically as they recited their lines. Julie actually found him quite amusing when he practiced like that, but with all the blood running to her head, she couldn't be bothered laughing.   
  
Dean looked down at her. "Lets take a break. I cant work on this anymore"  
  
Julie flipped her feet over her head and landed gracefully in the floor. Dean laughed at her. She was nimble…like a cat. Huh, maybe that is why they call her the cat, he smiled. "That is the smartest thing you have said all night"   
  
Julie watched as Dean began digging through the draws in Fulton's desk. "What are you doing?"  
  
Dean looked up at her, smiling. "Looking for Fulton's stash"  
  
"Stash?" Julie asked, confused. Stash usually meant drugs…was Fulton…? No! not Fulton.  
  
"Jackpot" Dean smiled and pulled open the bottom draw. He took out the bottom of the draw and emptied out the contents onto the floor. "Tricky wood shop boys and their activities" Dean muttered as he replaced the false bottom of the draw and picked up the two bags of M&M's that had fallen to the floor. He handed one bag to a very relived looking Julie. "Fulton eats these things like every bag is the last one on earth"  
  
She took the bag and opened it quickly, taking a handful. "M&M's, I love M&M's"  
  
"Wait" Dean stopped her as she brought the handful of chocolates of her mouth. "you don't sort them by colour do you?"  
  
"No, I am not that obsessive" Julie replied, she bit into the candies and smiled brightly. "Beck does though"  
  
Dean opened his bag of M&M's and rested one on the beck of his thumb. With one quick manoeuvre, he flicked the small candy into the air and then caught it in his mouth. Julie smiled at him. "Nice one"  
  
"Here, open your mouth" Dean told her, ready to take aim. Julie laughed, opened her mouth, and Dean threw it to her. It bounced off of her bottom lip and onto the carpet. Julie laughed.   
  
"Try again" He smiled, picking up another chocolate. He threw it and it missed completely. "Damn"  
  
Julie laughed at him. "Hey, I am a goalie, I am not meant to let things get to their goal"  
  
"You have to keep things away from their goal?" he questioned playfully.   
  
"Yeah, I know, I failed" Julie muttered, and he looked at her, surprised. "I tried to keep you away from me"  
  
"With Matt" he asked.   
  
"Yeah" Julie shrugged.   
  
Julie leant back against Fulton's bed, resting her head on it comfortably so that she could look at Dean. It was amazing how comfortable they were together, just talking. "But you were harder then I thought. You were coming in from each side, cleaning up the trash. Even when I thought that you had had enough, you were thinking about the goal"  
  
Dean smiled at her. "Jules, stop it with the hockey analogies"  
  
"As much as I pushed you away, you just kept on coming." Julie told him. Dean looked at the carpet and smiled.   
  
"What can I say, I am a persistent guy" Dean shrugged, taking a handful of M&M's and preparing to throw them into her mouth again. He moved a little closer to her, shifting her legs so that they were sitting close together yet still comfortably. "For example, you are not leaving this room without catching one of these in your mouth."  
  
Dean laughed as he missed, again. Julie smiled. "We may need more then one pack of M&M's"  
  
Dean chuckled and picked up a red one, moving a little closer and once again adjusting Julie's legs so that they were comfortable. Julie smiled at him, held open her mouth, and he threw it. They both laughed at the chocolate bounced off of her nose and onto the floor.   
  
Again when he went to pick up one of the chocolates, Julie prepared to move closer. But this time, Dean wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. Julie smiled at him and he threw the M&M at her, and even at this close range, it was no where near her mouth.   
  
Julie surprised them both when he tried again. He raised his hand, took aim, and Julie stopped him, taking his wrist in her hand, brining his fingers to her mouth. Dean's breath caught as Julie gently bit the small candy from between his fingers. She licked them clean when she was done, leaving a dumbstruck enforcer in her wake.   
  
Had she just… Dean was surprised by her forwardness. Who was this girl and what had she done with Julie. And why was she kissing his neck. Ah, screw it, who cared who she was, she was kissing him. He had dreamed about this.   
  
Turning her in his lap allowed him greater access to her lips as he kissed her, passionate kiss after passionate kiss. Julie's hands ran through his hair and down his back as they kissed. This was amazing.   
  
She had told herself that she was not going to kiss him again, outside of the play, that was, until after she had admitted to him that she was in love. She told herself that she was not going to romantically involve herself with him at all. But as she had sat here, joking with him about the chocolate, all she wanted, really, all Julie needed, was to kiss him. Desire was a bitch when it reared it head.   
  
But from the way he was nibbling her neck at the moment, he obviously had no problems with letting desire win. And truthfully, she didn't care. If giving in to desire felt this good.  
  
Dean pushed all the scattered chocolates to the side and lowered her to the carpet. Julie smiled and pulled him to her, continuing the passion that they shared. Dean was so caught up in what was happening between them that he hardly realised what he was doing. What his hands were doing.   
  
The words were on the tip of her tongue. She wanted nothing more then to tell him that she loved him. Then something occurred to her. Never once, in this whole thing, had had ever said that he loved her. He had admitted it to every one else, but when they had discussed his feelings, he had never even used the words, so why was it such a big deal to him that she use them.   
  
But she wanted him to know, so she knew that it would only be a matter of time before she told him how she felt. The time just had to be perfect. It had to be a time when she felt comfortable with him, a time when they wouldn't be interrupted, a time when…his hands were not trying to undress her.  
  
Her hands pushed his away in shock. Dean came to himself and realised that he had done. It had been a subconscious thing that his hands had been doing as he had been concentrating on kissing her. But he could tell that by the look in Julie's eyes, she was shocked that he would do something like that. He closed his eyes, rested his head on her chest, trying to gain his breath. Maybe then he could try an apology.   
  
Julie was surprised. Dean had undone her jeans and was trying to pull them off of her. They may have been making out on the floor of his bedroom, but that didn't mean that she wanted to do that. She had thought that Dean was different to that. Sure, he was 'experienced' but if he loved her as much as he eluded to, then he should have known that that was moving to fast. Really, she sighed, she could only blame herself, she was the one who started this.   
  
One thing that comforted her above all was that Dean was as shocked as she was.   
  
Dean's head rested against her chest, his hand running down her side to rest on her stomach, pushing the shirt up to share the head of his hands. He looked up at her, kissed her and whispered. "I love you Julie"  
  
She blinked and looked at him, shocked. There were the words, and she had them for him to. But why was he telling her this now. Did he want something? There was much evidence that he wanted to get into more, and Julie could not help but wonder if he meant it. She had grown up with the warning that men would say anything to get a girl into bed.   
  
Julie paused, embarrassed. How on earth could she think that about Dean. Dean who had spent so long proving his feelings for her. She was shocked at herself. He would never do that. Why couldn't she have replied that she loved him to? Why was she making this so hard on herself. Now there was a strange tension between them, and all she wanted to do was leave. She had to leave. Julie sat up, pushing him to the side.  
  
"Julie?"  
  
"I have to go" she whispered, standing and leaving to room.   
  
Dean watched her go, then collapsed back onto the carpet, taking a deep breath and trying to work out what on earth went wrong.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dean looked over his shoulder as he paused at the bay of pay phones. It was well after curfew, so he would have to be extremely careful. Doing this was a risk, but he could not sleep, and he was sure that he would not be able to sleep until he did this.   
  
Lifting the phone from its cradle, he held it between his ear and his shoulder and inserted the coins, trying not to make to much noise. He hit the numbers quickly, and hoped that some one would answer.   
  
After a few rings, the phone was lifted, and a sleepy voice said. "Hello"  
  
Dean was happy. The one person in the house that he wanted to answer, had answered. "Deanie, its Jake"  
  
He could see his sister, in her bed, her phone against her ear surrounded by about a million pillows and blankets, and probably so angry at him. "Jake, it is 1 in the morning, what the hell is your problem"  
  
Dean looked at his watch. He had completely forgotten that the time difference, although it was only small, made it later in Chicago then what it was in Minnesota. "I need your help"  
  
"And I need sleep." Joanna groaned. "I have an exam in the morning"  
  
Dean paused. Maybe calling Deanie had not been the best idea. But she had made him feel better the week before, hopefully she could do it again now.   
  
Joanna spoke up. "Well, what is the problem"  
  
"She ran out" Dean replied.  
  
"Julie?" Joanna yawned.   
  
Dean rolled his eyes at his sister. "Who else?"  
  
"What did she run out of?" Joanna asked him, probably as she got more comfortable in her bed. She was probably doing so to stop herself from falling back to sleep. "Patience, because I can see where that could happen."  
  
Dean groaned. "Joanna, be serious. She ran out of my room"  
  
"Well, how the hell I am suppose to know what she did, last I heard you thought she had slept with that Matt guy." Joanna snapped.   
  
Dean realised it was true. He really should have explained what had happened since they spoke last. "She didn't, and she broke up with him"  
  
"Now she is yours?"  
  
"Almost" Dean smiled. Well, at least he hoped that Julie was almost his. What had happened that night had done nothing more then confuse him more. "The words are there, I just cant get them out"  
  
"So what happened" Joanna asked, yawning again. "Give details"  
  
"We were kissing, and things were escalating, and I told her I loved her, which really wasn't that bad because I have told her that I love her before, I think. Or at least she knows that I love her. I think. Well, she does now, but I told her tonight, and I don't know, I expected her to reply. To tell me that she loved me to. The last few days it had been on the tip of her tongue, I could tell. I just expected her to tell me, but she pushed me off and just left without a word" Dean explained, pausing only when he heard some one snoring in his ear. Joanna had fallen asleep, how rude. "Deanie?"  
  
"What, I am awake" She mumbled as he woke her up. "She just ran out when you were kissing…she probably felt pressured"  
  
"Pressured?"  
  
"Think about it" She began, fighting back another yawn. Dean would have to pay for calling her in the middle of the night. This was what she called rude. "You are not sure that you told her you loved her, so it is possible you haven't, you are making out with her, and suddenly, you admit it. Seems like you were trying to get her into bed"  
  
"But I wasn't" Dean snapped.   
  
"Does she know that"  
  
"I don't know" he admitted.   
  
"Well, there, that could be your problem" Joanna replied, yawning. "Night"  
  
Dean was shocked when he heard the dial tone in his ear. Putting more money in the phone, he called his sister back. She answered and he snapped "Why did you hang up?"  
  
"Because I thought the conversation was over" she told him.   
  
"It is not"  
  
Joanna rolled her eyes at her annoying brother. "Cant this wait till morning?"  
  
"No" Dean told her. "If I cant sleep, you cant sleep"  
  
"Why" Joanna groaned. As much as she loved Dean, she hated him equally. "We may be close, but not that close"  
  
Dean then realised that he had nothing more to say, and that they could have left the conversation where it was at. "So your suggestion is that I was moving to fast"  
  
"Either that or she doesn't really love you" Joanna replied.   
  
Dean sighed. "I think I like option one better"  
  
"I knew you would." was her reply. "Now, was there anything else"  
  
Dean thought for a few seconds. "No, I don't think so"  
  
"Good, see you in a week" Joanna replied, and once again hung up on him.   
  
Dean went over her last statement a few times before putting a few more quarters into the phone and hitting the right numbers.   
  
This time when she answered the phone, she growled at him. "Dean William Portman, what the fuck did you call back for!"  
  
"You will see me in a week?" he asked. On the other end, she sighed.   
  
"Sure, opening night, front row centre"   
  
Dean cursed. Joanna and the parentals were coming to the play anyway. He had deliberately not told them about the date change in the hope that they wouldn't come. "But how did you know the dates changed?"  
  
"School called" Joanna mumbled. "Can I go back to sleep now"  
  
"Um, ok" Dean smiled. "I love you Deanie"  
  
"Love you to Jake" Deanie told her brother. "But if you ever call me this early again, I will kill you, I sware!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Shout outs.  
  
Kayla - I know, people keep interrupting! Shy girl and name. Funny thing was, I was just thinking before I read you review that she needs a name like Amy or something, but I am still not sure, usually when I am writing, the first name that comes to mind is the one I use, so when I am writing shy girl again, I will just spur of the moment on the name I guess. I am glad that you liked the name story thing. I was a little worried about that.   
  
Amy77 - hey, blondes have more fun, so good choice of wig. I hope you like the Fulton and Beck stuff in this chapter.   
  
Melanie - it is so exciting, I hope you keep reading.   
  
HighOnLife - I am glad you like this chapter. You will just have to keep reading to find out.   
  
Linnie22 - It is funny that you said that about a certain item of clothing. It may make an importance appearance somewhere… la de da, cant say any more without giving it away… oh, and you ask about Mendoza's mystery girl, well, without giving to much away, she is in here some more. She is Shy girl that I keep going on about. At the moment, she is nameless.   
  
Pixie13 - You can draw, that would be so cool if you drew some pictures from this fic. I am so jealous of people who can draw, because I cant draw for shit.   
  
Cathryn - Yeah, at least they are getting some where. At least, I think they are. I really don't have any idea how this is going to turn out. (Lying of course, I just cant share)  
  
Cake Eater Girly 99 - I am glad you found it funny, I loved writing it.   
  
Ashcake - Glad you liked it. Hope you like this one.   
  
*Important AN, please read* Don't worry, this is nothing bad. What it is is that I am moving at the end of this week, and I am moving away to University. I can have this fic finished by the time I leave, but what I need your opinion on is Would you like a sequel? I have the best idea, the best, and I really want to write it, for myself as much as for others, but I would just like to know if you would read it. Another thing, if I do post it, it will not updated daily, but probably twice a week because I don't know my internet situation. But anyway. Give me your opinion. Yay or Nay. (Can I just say I adore my idea for the sequel, and it will have all our favourite Ducks as well as OC's from this story. *End of AN, review and tell me* 


	25. We are family

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 25  
  
Disclaimer - not mine.   
  
Notes - Hope you like  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Dean wondered where the last week had gone. It felt like only the night before he had spoken to his sister in the middle on the night, but now, as she lay in bed, procrastinating, he counted back the days. Four days since he had spoken to Joanna, which meant it was Friday. It also meant that the parentals would be showing up tomorrow.   
  
The scariest thought of all was that the play, opening night, The Ducks one and only acting performance, was tomorrow, Saturday. It was amazing to think that it had actually been 12 days since the day that Meredith had screwed up the dates. And it amazed him to realise that in the last 4 days, although he had been busy, and filled every second of the day with something, whether it be learning his lines, practicing for the upcoming hockey game (holy crap, that was tonight, shit, time was getting away from him) or trying to work out what the hell was going on with Julie.  
  
Julie had hardly said two words to him in the last four days. Juliet had spoken to Romeo about a million times, but Julie had not yet spoken to Dean about what had happened between the two of them. Which meant he had had not had a chance to apologise to her about going to fast. He had not had the chance to tell her that what he had said, about loving her was the truth. And he still didn't know what was going on with her. He wished he did, because the situation was giving him a headache.   
  
He knew that she loved him. He had been told by so many people, but all he wanted was to hear the words from her. Her words would be like giving him permission to go ahead with the relationship. A relationship, maybe then he could touch her, hold her, kiss her when he wanted to except for having to wait till she made a move to be sure that that was strictly what she wanted.   
  
Ah, this was giving him a headache already, and he had only just woken up. He had so much other shit he had to do today, and it would be best to do them without pain. He had a play practice, a hockey practice, a hockey game (shit, who are we even playing. I am so far behind), the after game party, and probably a million other things. But none of that could happen if he didn't get out of bed.   
  
Maybe staying in bed all day was the answer.  
  
But there was a knock at the door. Dean groaned and threw a pillow at Fulton's bed, only to realise that the other boy was awake. Dean's mind cleared and he heard the shower and Fulton singing along to Nirvana muffled through the door. (good thing about Nirvana, anyone can sing it, just make it sound like the words.) Right now, Fulton was doing a wonderful rendition of Smells like teen sprit.   
  
There was a knock at the door, and Dean realised that he had used his friends Curbain impersonation to distract him from the person on the other side. They knocked again, growing impatient, and Dean groaned. It was probably one of the team coming to practice a scene or something. Or maybe it was Rebecca looking for Fulton. Or maybe it was Julie, with breakfast, that they could eat off of each others naked…  
  
Now the knocking was a thumping. Way to comfortable in bed, he called "Come in". If they expected him to get up, they would have to bring Julie and breakfast.   
  
The door opened, and Dean closed his eyes, expecting to hear Charlie, Or Averman, or someone. And he was about ready to tell them where to stick it to, but the voice he heard shocked him. "What, still in bed at this hour?"  
  
Dean opened his eyes, looked at his guests, rubbed his eyes, looked at his guests again, and then sat up. This could not be happening. He was in shock. "Mom! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Dean, close your mouth" Mrs Lillian Portman told her son, crossing to him in bed and snapping his jaw shut. In the doorway of the room, was Deanie, leaning against the doorframe.   
  
"What are you doing here?" Dean managed to choke out. They were not suppose to be there till tomorrow. That would give him time to do things, like, clean up his room, and convince his friends to lie on his behalf so that he would not get in trouble for breaking the rules so much. But they were here, his mom and his sister, in his bedroom, and he was still in bed, in his boxer shorts. Why couldn't it have been Julie and breakfast. Or Beck and Breakfast for Fulton. Hell, Goldberg and a bagel for himself would be easier to manage at this hour of the morning.   
  
Not that he didn't love his mother. He adored his mother, she was a great woman who allowed him to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and supported him immensely, just like his father did. And his sister was one of his best friends in the world. He had lucked out when it came to family, But this, having them all here when he had other things to get done, was all just to much. Not only did he have to do all the things that he had planned, but he had to worry about his mom, sister, and probably his dad as well seeing him. Which meant being on his best behaviour, because his father could easily make the disappointed noise in his direction.   
  
Dean's mother looked around the room, not necessarily in disgust, but Dean knew his mother was a bit of a neat freak. Down to the whole shoe thing. In his mothers closet, the shoes were alphabetised by designer, and then colour coded. It was amazing how a woman like Lillian could have two children like Dean and Joanna, whose shoes lived in piles on top of each other, dangerous types of piles, because you could never quite be sure where the ice skates were. "You knew I was coming"  
  
Dean sat up and wished that his closet was not on the other side of the room. He was proud of his body, he worked hard on it, but he was sure it would produce some sort of comment from his mother, and really, he could live without that. While he signalled to his sister to get a shirt from the closet, he said to his mother. "Yeah, but I thought you were coming tomorrow afternoon"  
  
Lillian turned back to her son just as Joanna threw him a shirt. Dean looked at it, it was one of Fulton's actually, but he was sure that his bash bro wouldn't mind. "Oh, we thought, well, lets come a day earlier. We wanted to surprise you, are you surprised?"  
  
"Surprise is not the right word at all" Dean said cheerily, pulling the plain white shirt over his head and then getting out of bed. He crossed to the door and took her little sisters arm carefully. "Mom, why don't you take a seat, Deanie, I wish to speak to you, outside, you know, where it is private"  
  
"Oh, you kids and your secrets. Take your time" Lillian smiled at her. She was so glad that her kids were close. If you didn't trust and love your siblings, then who could you love. "I will just straighten up in here"  
  
As Dean closed the bedroom door, he saw her making his bed. By the time he entered again, he knew that it would be hospital corners and fluffed pillows. (Dean, as a new millennium bachelor, just pulled his blanket up over his bed and let left it that way. He wondered if Julie would ever try to change that about him, but realised probably not, the whole team, including the girls, made their bed that way, with the exception of Adam, who had a maid to make his bed for him) "Damnit, she is 'straightening up' what on earth are you doing here, you are a day early"  
  
"It is fantastic to see you to brother-dear." Deanie grinned at her distressed brother. It usually took him a little while to get used to their mom again, especially after not seeing her in a while. "No, the flight from Chicago was fabulous, mom read her magazine the whole way and made me sit next to dad."  
  
"What are you doing here…" Dean repeated  
  
"And of course, we both know that Dad gets airsick." Joanna replied, emphasising the word Airsick. Dean did, unfortunately know his fathers weak stomach problems. He knew first hand. He used to always sit beside his dad on flights. "Now, to answer your question, this was not my idea"  
  
"Then whose idea was it?" Dean asked.   
  
"I don't know… Mom's I guess." Joanna shrugged and the smirked, hitting him on the arm playfully. "She missed you Jakey-Poo"  
  
"Don't call me Jakey-Poo, or I will have to call you Deanie-Weanie" he told her. Then opened the door to see his mom had finished the bed making. "Now, come inside before Mom cleans my room and I can not find anything."  
  
When he entered his room, he saw that his mom was going though his dirty laundry pile. Could this day get any worse? "Mom, you didn't have to"   
  
"Oh, be quiet" Lillian replied, waving her hand dismissively. She quickly finished what she was doing and then crossed the room to sit on Fulton's bed, leaving the Portman siblings to sit on his bed, which was now neatly made, to a point that they were scared to sit on it. But they did, and then, their mother started up the conversation, as she always did. "Now, tell me, how is school? How is the play going? Are you still enjoying hockey? Have you met any nice girls? And where, oh where, is that wonderful roommate of yours?"  
  
Dean smirked. "Good. Fine. Of course. Maybe and showering. In that order"  
  
"Don't get cheeky with me Jake" Lillian smiled at Dean.   
  
Dean smiled at his mother. He liked talking to her, because no matter how busy she was, or how busy she acted, his mother would always make time for him. "Everything is going great mom. I am doing really good"  
  
"Well, that is good to hear" Lillian smiled at them. "Your father really wishes he could have come to say hello, but he is still a little sick from the flight, so he is sleeping it off back at the hotel. I, however, have come to take you and Fulton to lunch"  
  
"Lunch?" Dean asked, looking at his watch. Wow, he had slept much longer then he had thought. When he woke up, he had thought that it was about 8 in the morning. Turns out it was closer to 11. And he had a hockey practice in, shit, forty minutes. "Oh, I cant, we cant, I mean. We have a hockey practice. Coach Orion traded a few days with out English teacher so that she would have more days to practice the play with us, so we really need to practice before the game tonight."  
  
Lillian smiled. "Then I can take you out for an afternoon meal?"  
  
"Last minute dress rehearsal" Dean replied, thinking ahead.   
  
"Dinner?" She asked him.   
  
Dean sighed and shook his head, honestly disappointed. "Hockey game tonight"  
  
"Well, how about after the game?" She asked him. "Supper?"  
  
"After party" Dean replied. It was tradition that the team go to Mickey's dine car, win or lose (not that they had lost in a while, but either way) and got Sundays and ice cream sodas. They probably wouldn't stay for that long because they had so much stuff to do tomorrow, but tradition was tradition, an he didn't want to mess with that.  
  
"Brunch tomorrow?" Lillian asked. Joanna smiled, her mother sounded like she should have a day planner in her hand, scheduling in a visit with her own son.   
  
"Last minute group run through" Dean replied.   
  
"Tomorrow afternoon" Lillian asked, exasperated.   
  
It was his only time off, but there was only one thing that he wanted to do. "Sleep"  
  
"Tomorrow at about 6?" His mother asked. She knew it was probably not going to get a yes, since the play started at 8.   
  
"I will be in Make up" Dean shrugged.   
  
"Make up?" Joanna laughed softly.   
  
Dean playfully elbowed her in the arm. Joanna just smiled at him even more. "Shut up Deanie"  
  
"Tomorrow after the play?"  
  
"Cast party" Dean replied. He felt like telling his mother to give up, that the chances of her fitting into all the things that he had to get done in the nest two days was just to slim.   
  
"Brunch on Sunday?"  
  
Joanna, who was now stretched out comfortably on his bed, feet resting in his lap and head on his pillow, muttered just loud enough for him to hear. "In bed with the leading lady"  
  
Dean smiled at her. "I wish"  
  
"What?" Their mother looked over at them, wondering what it was that they had said. When the two of them whispered, she always got suspicious, or at least paranoid.   
  
"Nothing" Both of them grinned together.   
  
Lillian sighed and looked at her son, who she was not ashamed to admit that she missed immensely when he was in Minnesota and the rest of the family were in Chicago. "Well, when am I going to see you on this visit Jake?"  
  
"You are seeing me now" Dean replied sarcastically, but it was unfortunate this could be the only time that he spent with his mom in their whole trip.   
  
"But I want to catch up" Lillian whined.   
  
"Then start catching. I have half an hour before hockey training" he smiled, looking at his watch. "What do you want to know?"  
  
Lillian grinned. If this was all she could get, then she would have to take advantage of it. "What do you want to tell me?"  
  
"Mom. You know I cant have conversations like that." Dean replied. "Small talk is not my strong point"  
  
"Then, well, this play, are you ready for it?" She asked him   
  
"If I am not ready by now, I don't think I will ever be." Dean smiled at her, making Joanna smile as well. "I didn't think I would mom, but I really enjoy being on stage. And the lines are easy to learn."  
  
Joanna grinned at him. "Prove it"  
  
"Prove what?"  
  
"That you know your lines" she challenged.   
  
Lillian gave her a warning look. "Deanie, leave your brother alone"  
  
But Dean was always up for a challenge, especially if it meant proving himself to his sister. " 'Draw Benvolio; beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath forbidden bandying in Verona's streets: Hold Tybalt, good Mercutio' "  
  
" 'I am hurt. A plague o'both your houses! I am sped. Is he gone and hath nothing?' " Fulton recited as he exited the bathroom. He paused when he realised he was being stared at, but didn't know if the two Portman women were staring at his bare chest, or the fact that he had recited Shakespeare. He smiled nervously at them. "Oh, hello"  
  
Joanna stood and launched herself at the other boy. Fulton held her arms out to hug her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Joanna was as much his sister as she was Dean's. And Fulton really missed her sometimes. "Fulton! I missed you"  
  
"Hey Joanna" he grinned.   
  
Lillian stood and smiled at Fulton, a young man who had settled into her family very easily. "Deanie, don't hug the boy when he is half dressed like that" When Joanna pulled away, Lillian hugged him. Fulton, although he was embarrassed, hugged back.   
  
From his bed, Dean said. "Yeah, his girlfriend may get jealous"  
  
"Girlfriend" Lillian cried. "Oh Fulton, how exciting for you"  
  
"Fult, she may be hiding it, but she is heart broken." Joanna laughed as Fulton pulled on a shirt. "Mom wanted us to get married"  
  
Fulton looked at the other girl. "I thought you wanted us to get married"  
  
Joanna smiled. She could never have a romantic attachment to Fulton, he was like a brother to her, but she often joked that she and him were soul mates. Maybe they were, in that close type of friend way. "Only to annoy dean"  
  
"And it would have annoyed Dean." Dean told the others. Hen he slapped Fulton on the shoulder. "But it would have been cool to have you as a real brother"  
  
"Thanks man, but we don't need blood for that to happen" Fulton replied.   
  
"Of course not. Fulton, you will always be welcome in our home, no matter what happens" Lillian replied. He would always be welcome because he was already a member of the family. "You are the second son I always wanted  
  
Fulton blushed a little and smiled at the older woman. "Thanks Momma Portman"  
  
"Oh, that name." Lillian smiled, but still brought her hand to her head as though she was in pain. Momma Portman was something that they had started calling her the summer before, and although she recognised it as a term of endearment, she had heard it so many times it was beginning to annoy her. Plus, it made her feel old. "I thought you three had gotten over that"  
  
"Not at all" Fulton smiled, then looked at his watch. They had ten minutes to suit up and be on the ice, Orion would blow a gasket if they were late again. "Dean, we have to get to practice."  
  
"Yes, I should be heading back to the hotel, check up on your father." Lillian smiled, kissing both of the boys on the cheek, she got close to kissing Joanna on the cheek before realising that she would be taking her daughter with her. "We will have to fit in more time. I want to catch up with my two favourite boys. And I want to meet this girlfriend of your's Fulton."  
  
Fulton grinned. A chance to show off Rebecca to someone whose opinion meant something to him. "Sure, sounds like fun"  
  
Deanie hugged her older brother and looked up at him, pouting. "Jakey-Poo"   
  
"What Dean" he asked, looking down at her. She was about to ask a favour, he could tell.   
  
"Can I come and watch your hockey practice?"  
  
"You hate hockey" Dean reminded her.   
  
"But I want to meet the team" Joanna shrugged.   
  
Dean sighed. He knew that she would ask him at some point to meet his friends. And he didn't know what is was, but he didn't want her to meet them. Maybe he feared that the other members of the team (aka Mendoza) would corrupt his sweet (ok, some times sweet), innocent (ok, so maybe not that innocent) little sister (that was one thing that would never change, thank god) "You will meet them at the ducks 20 year reunion when you are no longer my 15 year old sister"  
  
"But then I will be your 35 year old sister" She exclaimed. "Past my prime"  
  
Lillian smirked and stroked her daughters hair. "Now darling, a woman's prime is not until later in life. It will only be Jake who has passed his prime in 20 years"  
  
Joanna turned to pout up a little bit so that she looked truly sad. She tugged his sleeve like she used to when she was little and he had to take her places. "Please Jake, I want to meet the team. You tell me all those interesting stories about them…"  
  
"Yeah, and I don't want you to be one of the next stories I have to tell." Dean replied. He could tell that he had little chance of winning this argument. "Ok, maybe I will let you meet them at the play, but just not now"  
  
"Why do you do that?" She yelled. Joanna could not believe it, she had been given the brush off by her favourite person in the world. Jerk. "You treat me like I am so much younger then you. There is only a year between us"  
  
"I know the Duck's better then you do"  
  
"Why do you think that is, because other then Fult, I don't know any of them" She yelled, hands on hips. Dean rolled his eyes. It was funny, but for once, it felt like they were both acting their age. "You annoy the shit out of me Jake"  
  
In the doorway, Fulton was holding his hockey things and Dean's mother was holding Dean's. As much as neither would have minded just watching them pull each other limb from limb, Dean had a practice to get to.   
  
Fulton cleared his throat and Dean nodded. "Ok, I really have to go, so lets walk and yell"  
  
"As long as we walk in the direction of the team" Joanna muttered, following her brother out.   
  
"You know, some people forget that the two of them are siblings." Lillian said to Fulton as they watched her children argue all the way down the hall. "Then they do that and it becomes so obvious"  
  
The boys walked the women to their rented car to say a quick goodbye. They were 5 minutes late, so another 5 minutes wouldn't hurt. Lillian kissed her son on the cheek. "So, call me on my cell when you get a free moment"  
  
"I will mom" Dean told her, and then looked at his sister who was brooding in the front seat. "Come on Deanie…don't be like that?" He smiled, reaching into the car to tap her nose. Joanna glared, wound up her window, and then pressed her finger against the glass. It was the rude finger. Dean laughed and kissed the glass. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, that's charming"  
  
Joanna turned to her mother. "Mom, can we get the balls rolling on legally adopting Fult and getting rid of Jake"  
  
"Don't be mean to your brother" Lillian replied. But she had to admit that it was good to have to two of them back together.   
  
"We would make sure he gets placed in a nice orphanage" Joanna replied. "One that doesn't feed him gruel and make him sing as he scrubs the floors"  
  
"Jokes on you" Dean laughed at his sister "I am old enough to be an emancipated minor"  
  
"Dick!"  
  
"Mom, did you hear that, wash her mouth out with the mini hotel soaps when you get home!" Dean laughed. Again Joanna made a rude gesture against the glass.   
  
Suddenly, Joanna rolled down her window. "You know, you should be nice to me, because one day mom and dad are going to be old, and they are not going to be able to look after themselves. You are going to want me to look after them."  
  
"Wow, you are the best daughter a woman could ask for" Lillian laughed as she started the rented car. She turned back to Dean and Fulton. "Get to practice boys"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Joanna felt guilty. She has said some really rude things to Dean earlier that morning. She was angry at him and thought that they were justified, but then she realised that none of it was justified. Just because he was a jerk and would not let her meet his friends didn't mean that she had to be a bitch to him.   
  
So now she was back. At Eden Hall, trying to find his bloody dorm room so that she could apologise to him. But it was actually quite smart, she realised, visiting him here on campus, maybe she could, accidentally, of course, run into a few of the ducks. And then, he would have no choice but to introduce her to them.   
  
This prep school was huge. About three times the size of her school back in Chicago. Joanna went to what was called a minimum security school, or at least that was what she called it, because it was run like a prison. But this place, it was like, the Hilton of schools compared to her cheap motel school. She wondered why Dean and Fulton fit in here.  
  
She was looking around, lost, when some one approached her. "Can I help you?"  
  
"I hope so, I am kind of lost" Joanna turned to the other girl who was offering her help, and smiled at her.   
  
"Lost" Julie smiled at the girl. "I know the feeling. What are you looking for?"  
  
"A single, sexy, loyal, charming, multimillionaire who loves me for who I am." Joanna smiled, and Julie laughed. "But I will settle for finding the boys dorm rooms"  
  
"Well, I can definitely help with the dorm rooms." Julie replied. "As for the man, well, Eden Hall is a good place to start"  
  
Joanna tapped her nose. "My thoughts exactly."   
  
Julie smiled. "I am heading towards the girls dorm, which is just along the path, past the boys dorm, so I can walk you there"  
  
"Thank you, that's nice of you" Joanna grinned. She had thought that every one at this school would be preppy and bitchy and mean, but this girl, who ever she was, was really nice. "So how on earth did you find your way around this place, it is so big and overwhelming and … preppy"  
  
"You get used to it" Julie smiled. "Are you planning on coming to Eden hall?"  
  
"I would never fit in here." Joanna admitted to her. "I hear you lot don't even have a ball team"  
  
"No, mainly hockey" Julie shrugged. Eden Hall was a mainly Hockey game, and she never realised that it was strange. The only reason why Hockey was so big was because when it snowed in a Minnesota Winter, it was impossible to get onto a football field. But this other girl played ball. "So you play basketball?"  
  
Joanna smiled. "Baseball"   
  
"I thought most girls play softball" Julie grinned. But then again, she couldn't exactly say much about girls in men's sports, she was a goalie on a Hockey team.   
  
"I am the exception" Joanna shrugged. Then she looked around her again at the huge school. "So, you like it here?"  
  
Julie shrugged. "Its alright, I miss home sometimes. I have friends here"  
  
"Yeah, so do I" She smiled. "My best friend in the world is here. And I just realised how sad it is that he is my best friend"  
  
"Why?" Julie asked.   
  
"He is a loser. An annoying loser" Joanna grinned at her. "And my brother"  
  
Jules smiled. "Nothing wrong with loving your brother"  
  
"I know" Joanna admitted. She was not ashamed of her friendship with Dean. He was one of the closest friends that she had. But at the moment, there was something else she wanted to know. "So…tell me truthfully, what are the guys like here?"  
  
Julie chuckled. "Well, great, if they are not annoying, confusing and pig headed, yet addicting…"  
  
"That is the sound of a woman scorned" Joanna smiled at the other girl.   
  
"Not scorned, just confused" Julie sighed.   
  
Joanna knew that she did not know this girl very well, but something told her that she needed to talk. "You know, I have been told I am very easy to talk to."  
  
"I only just met you"  
  
"So, I can be your exclusive third party." Joanna smiled brightly. "Come on, tell me what happened"  
  
Julie sighed, what would it harm be. And really, maybe this could bring a new out look to it all. "Have you ever wanted a boy so much you cant think straight"  
  
Joanna grinned. "Oh, I love it when that happens"  
  
"I hate it, I am so out of control" Julie exclaimed. She guess she could see how what she had been feeling lately could be exciting to others, but to her is was scary and painful. "When I am around him, all I want to do is…well"  
  
Joanna nodded, understanding completely. "I get it, but that is the problem isn't it"  
  
Julie decided to explain herself. "For so long I didn't want to love him, but now I do love him, but I cant find the words, and I don't want to go forward with anything until I tell him, but now I just cant…I cant approach him, or the subject"  
  
"Have you tried" the other girl asked.   
  
"I was going to tell him last week, but the words were just…beyond my reach" Julie replied.   
  
Joanna thought for a second, and then asked. "Are you sure you have given yourself enough time to make the right decision. "  
  
"This is the right decision, it has to be the right decision." Julie replied firmly. She could not think about whether or not this was a right decision or not. She had spent so much time thinking about it lately, and her decision was final. It was something else completely, she knew it. "He is sending me crazy. He makes my heart beat so fast and my palms sweat. Every time I look at him, all I want it to kiss him. He has so much power over me."  
  
Joanna smiled "Scary when that happens huh?"  
  
"This is the first time this has happened to me" Julie admitted softly.   
  
"Well, believe me, it doesn't get any easier" Joanna mused. "Each new boy brings it all back"  
  
Julie's jaw dropped. This girl had been in love before. "How many times have you been in love?"  
  
"Millions of times" Joanna smiled brightly. "I am one of those people who falls in love so easily. Falling out of love is the hard part. I am still waiting for the day that I can find some one who will make me happy for more then just a day"  
  
"You look so young" Julie replied.   
  
"I am" Joanna shrugged. "I am probably younger then you"  
  
"I am only 16"  
  
"15" Joanna grinned. "I know, you are shocked, I don't act it"  
  
"You seem so…" Julie paused, waiting for the right word. "Mature"  
  
"It's a gift, I turn the maturity on and off." Joanna laughed. "I am the only girl on an all boy ball team, some one has to be the mature one, it might as well be me"  
  
"I know the feeling" Julie smiled. She knew what it was like to be one of the only girls on a boys team, and to have to be mature. Although sometimes, she and Connie could be as immature as the boys, sometimes worse. "Believe me, I know the feeling"  
  
"Can I give you some advice?" Joanna ask her as they walked along slowly.   
  
Julie looked at her and nodded. "Advice? Sure"  
  
"You love him right?" Joanna clarified.   
  
"Yeah, I really do" Julie grinned. It was good to say it. She could say a million times, just not to Dean, which was her problem. She could admit to complete strangers, but not to Dean. She was crazy.   
  
"Then tell him. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, because that will never come. Tell him now. Even if it means telling him in the most unromantic place imaginable." Joanna told her. It felt weird to relay her wisdom on to this girl, but she also looked as though she needed it. "It will be so much easier after he knows. It may not seem it, because there will always be that second, that minute, hour, day, whatever in which you are waiting for him to reply, but you cant have a rainbow without a little rain first right"  
  
"It has been storming for us lately" Julie grinned. "But I love him, and he loves me…"  
  
Joanna stopped her. "Wait, he has told you that?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Then what on earth are you waiting for." Jo asked, amazed. "If he has already told you he loves you, the only reason you should have hesitated is because you don't love him."  
  
Julie grinned at the other girl. "You really are easy to talk to"  
  
"See, told you" Joanna smiled. "I just hope that what I had to say helped you"  
  
"It did, thank you" Julie replied. It was amazing that this girl who she didn't even know, could help her so much. "Here you go, boys dorm. Do you know what room you are looking for?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks" Joanna replied.   
  
Julie did something impulsive and hugged her. Joanna smiled and hugged back. She was not really one orf girly bonding, but there was something about this girl, it was something sisterly, unexplainable. "Thank you for the advice"  
  
Joanna pulled away. "I hope it all turns out for you and this guy"  
  
"Thank you" Julie smiled. "Hope you can find yourself a single, sexy charming, multimillionaire who loves you for who you are"  
  
"You know, I am not picky, I would be fine with just a boy who treats me good." Joanna admitted. "A little bit of money wouldn't hurt"  
  
Julie looked at her watch. She had to go shower, find Beck, and then get to the dress rehearsal. "Well, I got to get going"   
  
Joanna smiled and looked up at the building she was about it enter. "Yeah, I should go see my bro. I came here to 'apologise' for some things I said to him this morning. Running my mouth of at him, like always"  
  
"Oh, by the way, my name is Julie." Julie smiled, holding out her hand for the other girl to shake. "Julie Gaffney"  
  
Joanna shook her hand and smiled. "Joanna Portman"  
  
And then it all clicked into place.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Shout Outs.   
  
Due to time, I cant have a lot of shout outs tonight, so here is a list of the reviewers for last chapter, thank you thank you. Sassy4eva. Dianamite. HighOnLife. Snorts90. CakeEatersGirly99. Melanie. Cathryn. Squidslilpyro. Pixie13. Shelbers. Nastyubervamp.   
  
Ok, I lied, one quick message…  
  
Linnie22 - Shirtless Fulton = Yummy? I think I agree. And I agree, you cant resist sexy Portman. Seriously, if he was making out with you, would you run from the room? I sure as hell wouldn't! And the leather jacket…ummm, well, keep reading. And shy girl. I think she has a name. It came to me last night.   
  
Oh, and due to amazing response, there will be a sequel to this. I just don't know when it would be up… 


	26. Opening Day

Romeo and Julie _ chapter 26  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine  
  
Notes - I am running behind, time wise, so I am so sorry that there will be no shout outs this chapter, but I will answer your questions next time, and I thank you for your reviews.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Fulton rolled over in bed and paused. There was something wrong. He could sense it more then he knew for sure that it was true. The way his blankets felt, the way the mattress dipped a little to the side. Something, or maybe someone else was on his bed with him. Cracking his eye open, a thousand questions hit him at once, but the first on the leave his mouth was. "Are you a dream?"  
  
Rebecca smiled and snugged into his side in the bed. Fulton, still half asleep and unsure if this was really happening, pulled her closer. "Yes, I am a dream. The best dream that I have ever had" Beck whispered to him, running her fingers through his hair. Fulton smiled sleepily, it was nice to be woken up like this. "Good morning"  
  
"Morning." He mumbled, opening his eyes to the full assault of the sunlight. He looked around, he was not in heaven, and this seemed to be real, so it meant that he really was in bed with Beck. How on earth had that happened? Fulton was pretty sure that he would remember taking a girl to bed with him. "I sware, when I went to bed last night, you were not with me." he told her, and Beck could not help but smile at him. "Not that I mind waking up with you by my side"  
  
"What can I say Fult" Beck stretched, and it was then that Fulton felt the denim of her jeans up against his leg. So it was all completely innocent. Fulton didn't care, he was in bed with Beck! "Came to wake you up and I couldn't help myself, you just looked so cute."  
  
"You look cute to" Fulton smiled at her. "But you always do"  
  
"I am already in your bed Reed, under your blankets no less" she grinned, resting her head on his shoulder and letting him wrap his strong arms around her. "You don't have to sweet talk me."   
  
"You are the coolest girl in the world" Fulton sighed, running her hand down her arm lovingly. "I sware, no other girl in the universe would do this"  
  
"I know, that is why I am special" Rebecca grinned, looking up into his face. Fulton smiled down at her. "So, are we going to get out of bed today, Mr. Reed?"  
  
Fulton just wrapped his arms around Rebecca a little tighter, pulling their body's closer. This was nice. It was all new to him, but it was nice all the same. "If I say no will you stay in my arms forever"  
  
On the other side of the room, Dean groaned, made a gagging noise and then covered his face with his pillow. "Oh my god, you guys are giving me a toothache you are so sickly sweet to each other." He sat up, threw the pillow at the other two, and then stood, crossing to the bathroom. "Just get married, have a lot of children, and get over it already"  
  
"Jealous" Rebecca replied. Oh, Low blow, Dean sighed, but it was true. If Rebecca had brought Fulton breakfast in bed, then they would be living his fantasy morning with Julie. Dean shook his head and closed the bathroom door behind him.   
  
Fulton turned to the girl who was covering his body with hers. When exactly had that happened? "That was harsh"  
  
"I know." Rebecca smiled sadly, tucking her head under his chin and letting herself be held. "But now, it is just you, and me, and this bed…"  
  
Fulton, although he prided himself on being a sweet guy, could not help the thought that crossed his mind. Laughing at himself, he asked "Oh really, should I be excited by this?"  
  
"Depends on what you think I going to happened between us" she held herself up on her hands and looked down at Fulton.   
  
"Talking" Fulton whispered, tracing her mouth with his finger. He was unsure, but he thought he saw her shiver slightly at the contact. Either that or she was cold. "And I don't mind, I like talking to you"  
  
Rebecca pressed her forehead to Fulton's and grinned brightly. "But we are not going to talk forever"  
  
"Hell no" Fulton replied, a hand tangling in her hair to push it back over her shoulder so that it was not tickling his chest. He had completely forgotten that he was underdressed, only in his boxers, which he slept in, but Rebecca didn't look as though she minded, so he didn't mind. "One day…"  
  
"There is that 'one day' thing again" She smiled.   
  
"It is the story of us Beck" Fulton shrugged, well, tried to shrug, it was rather difficult with her pressed against his chest. Not that he was complaining. No not at all. "One day you will be my bona fide girlfriend, and I will be able to kiss you when ever to hell I want to"  
  
Rebecca smiled dreamily. "Oh, can that one day be today?"  
  
"Do you want this one day to be today?" Fulton asked her.   
  
"I want it to be" Rebecca admitted, but then sighed. "But I am not ready for it to be"  
  
"Then tomorrow…" Fulton replied, smiling.   
  
"Sure, tomorrow" Rebecca grinned at her. It was amazing, Fulton was one in a million. No other guy in the world would ever be this patient with her without wanting something in return. But Fulton was just happy with being able to spend time with her. "I don't deserve you Fulton Reed"  
  
For once, Fulton agreed. "You deserve better then me"  
  
"You deserve better" She replied, kissing his forehead. "Cant you see that you are like a prince."  
  
Fulton chuckled, and looked away, a telltale blush staining his cheeks. "I am not a prince. I cant be. The first time that I am alone in a bed with you, I am thinking completely ungentle manly thoughts"  
  
"Once again, if you were any one else Fulton, I will kill you for that comment" Beck smiled, settling onto his chest, pressing her ear against his heart. She liked to hear his heart beating in her ear. "But it flatters me that you see me that way"  
  
"Well, I do" he smiled and then ran his hand down her back softly. "I am sorry about the way I reacted."  
  
"To what?"  
  
Fulton sighed. "You going to New York for college. If it makes you happy, I want it for you"  
  
"Well, like I said Fulton. It is not that far away, and we will visit each other, I promise. We can call and write" Beck replied, pressing her hand against his bare stomach. Gods Fulton had a sexy body.   
  
"You will still forget me" Fulton whispered.   
  
"Fuck off, as if" she looked up at him, amazed. How could she possibly forget about a guy as great as him. And anyway, she wasn't going to forget him, because she wanted to spent as much time with him as possible over the next few years. "I am never going to forget you, and if I begin to forget, I will tattoo your name somewhere so I can see."  
  
Fulton chuckled. "Tattoo huh?"   
  
"Do you think that tats on girls are sexy?" she asked him. Fulton shrugged.   
  
"I don't know, but my name, right there" He steadied himself, and then ran his hand over her butt. Rebecca looked shocked, mainly that he would be game enough to touch her there, not so much that he had. Fulton looked so innocent. "That could be very sexy"  
  
When she realised that he was yet to move his hand from her ass, she giggled. "Fulton Reed! that's harassment"  
  
Fulton smiled, and replied in mock outrage. "Oh, and you inviting yourself into my bedroom, crawling into bed with me, and then laying on top of me like this is not harassment"  
  
Rebecca sighed, threw the blanket off of them, and moved to get out of the bed. "Fine, I'll leave"  
  
"Don't you freaking dare" Fulton replied, wrapping his arms tightly around her, holding her against his body so that she could not leave the bed, and then flipping the blanket back over them to hold some of their heat. "I want you to wake me up like this ever morning"  
  
"Then come to New York with me…" she replied nonchalantly, and then realised what she had said. She had decided that as much as she liked the idea of taking Fulton with her to New York, she was not going to push him if that was not what he wanted. "I am sorry, I mean, I know you have your reasons for staying"  
  
"I would come with you in a heartbeat" Fulton told her "Just…I have decisions to make… give me time?"  
  
"Well, you gave me time." Beck replied, pretending to be thinking about it. Fulton smiled. "The least I can do is give you the same courtesy."  
  
Fulton was just about to kiss her when there was a thump from the bathroom. Both of them turned to the door when Dean's voice yelled out. "Hey Beck"  
  
"Yes Dean?" Beck called back.   
  
"Are you finished stealing my roommates innocence, or do I have to stay in here?" Dean asked. He sighed and looked at his watch, he wanted to go get breakfast before it was to late. "I have other things to do today"  
  
Rebecca looked at Fulton, who was blushing. "Innocence…?"  
  
When there was no reply, Dean sighed and exited the bathroom. "Guys, I am entering the room anyway" He covered his eyes until he walked into the wall. "Cover anything you don't want seen" he sighed and then took his hand away from his eyes. He pulled on his shoes, and then, without looking at the couple in the bed, he moved to exit the room. "ok, I am going to breakfast, have fun"  
  
"We will" Fulton mumbled.   
  
Rebecca was still staring at Fulton. "Innocence?"  
  
"Oh, be quiet" he blushed. Beck smiled, pressed a quick kiss to his lips, and settled into his arms again.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Meredith entered the room to see most of the ducks sitting at their usual table. A few of them were reading their playbooks, and that made her a little worried. If they were still learning their lines, now, on opening day, then who knew that was going to happen tonight.   
  
She approached the table and smiled at her young actors. "Good morning children! Any nerves, any one feeling the jitters yet?"  
  
Goldberg glared at his teacher. "Wasn't until you said it, thanks Meredith"  
  
"You will all do perfect" Meredith smiled at the gang. "I believe in you guys"  
  
Connie, who was obviously already wracked with nerves, smiled at Meredith. "Thanks Meredith, that means a lot to me"  
  
"That's good to know Connie" Meredith said, loud enough for the whole table to hear her and what she had to say. "See, me saying that means a lot to you, and people turning up to practice means a lot to me…"  
  
Connie blushed, she had skipped the dress rehearsal yesterday to get some rest. Guy had skipped with her and they had rested together (they had only slept, honestly). Meredith was probably very disappointed in her. "Yeah, I am sorry about that"  
  
"Don't be, no one really came to the practice" Meredith replied, looking at each person at the table. She had been disappointed when only four people, Fulton, Dean, Julie and Ken (Plus Beck and the rest of the string quartet) turned up for practice the day before. She had had no choice but to dismiss the others. "Oh well, it could be your funeral really"  
  
"Ah, Meredith, I beg of thee, no talk of funerals" A voice said from behind her. Meredith let out a shriek as she was lifted into a hug and then placed to the side again. With eyes wide, she looked at a grinning Luis. Meredith took a small step back, scared by the younger boys over excited behaviour, and then she turned, and fled the ducks table.   
  
"Why are you so happy…" Charlie asked, suspiciously. Luis didn't usually act like this, and it was rather scary. "Mendoza, you didn't get another girl did you? We thought you would have learnt your lesson after last time…"  
  
"How come, I can only be happy, or in a good mood, if I 'get a girl' " Luis asked, sitting down at one of the bare seats. Usually, a comment like that would annoy him to the point of anger, but today, he was in such a good mood that nothing could change that. "For your information, I got a very good night sleep last night, I realised this morning that I know all my lines, I am going to be a perfect Tybalt, and, Mom flies in today, with my little sister. It is a good day all round!"  
  
"Well, if you have to pick a reason to be happy, I would say that that is a good one" Dwayne replied. Then, he sighed. "My Ma and Pa couldn't make it."  
  
"Why, is it prospecting season?" Russ asked. Dwayne turned to his roommate and gave him the finger. Russ was outraged. "Who taught him that"  
  
"For your information, we have a cattle farm" Dwayne replied "and it is birthing season"  
  
"Birthing season" Averman repeated, turning to Dwayne. "Fascinating, tell me about how cows are birthed"  
  
Dwayne was surprised that some one was actually interested. "Well, first some one holds the cow, and another reaches inside…"  
  
"Dwayne, No!" They all exclaimed. Portman looked at his friend and said. "Tell him later, when we are not trying to eat"  
  
"Sorry Y'all" Dwayne muttered.   
  
Beside Connie, Julie was staring speechlessly at the tabletop, thinking. She could not believe that she had met Joanna Portman the night before. She was such an interesting person, and she gave great advice. Just in the time that they had spent talking to each other, Julie had enjoyed herself. When they had realised who the other was, however, they had stuttered through another goodbye, and then retreated. Joanna had obviously felt that she had shared to much, and Julie, well, she was just shocked that the stranger she felt she could talk to had been Dean's little sister all along. She had probably gone straight to Dean to tell him what Julie had said.   
  
"Are you ok?" Connie asked, turning to her friend. "Nerves"  
  
"No" Julie shook her head. It was the truth, she was not nervous about the play at all, and that was amazing. "I just…I met some one last night"  
  
Connie chucked painfully and rolled her eyes at her friend. "God Jules, not another boy, you are having issues keeping hold of Dean"  
  
"Not a boy" Julie told her. "A girl"  
  
"Julie" Connie asked, confused.   
  
Julie looked across the table at Dean, and then back to Connie. "Dean's sister"  
  
"Dean's sister?" Connie repeated. How on earth had she meet Dean's sister? "I didn't think that his family was flying in until today. "  
  
Julie shrugged. "They arrived early"  
  
Connie was interested. "So what did this fascinating girl have to say?"  
  
"What I already knew, I have to tell him." Julie smiled. "But now I just don't know when"  
  
"I do" Connie grinned and said loudly. "Hey Portman, Julie has something she needs to tell you"  
  
Julie's eyes went wide as she reached out and covered her friends mouth. "Connie, what on earth are you doing?"  
  
Connie grinned. "Making you tell him"  
  
Dean looked across the table at Julie. "What's up Jules?"  
  
She glared at Connie before replying. "Nothing, Connie has developed turrets"  
  
Connie had gone back to her conversation with Guy, so Dean said. "You know, I think that is the most you have said to me in the last five days"  
  
Damnit, he noticed. Julie had hoped that he wouldn't ask her about why she had not spoken to him since that day in his room. "I've been busy"  
  
"So have I" he replied, hoping that the tension around this subject would disappear, because it was something that they really had to talk about. "Sorry"  
  
"Don't apologise" Julie muttered.   
  
"I am sorry" Dean told her. Julie looked at the table top again. Dean continued. "For more then just the silence"  
  
Julie tried desperately to change the subject. "The play is tonight, are you excited?"  
  
"Yeah" Dean smiled. "The 'rents arrived yesterday though. Pretty painful experience"  
  
Julie felt like admitting she already knew that. "So, when do I get to meet the family?"  
  
"Didn't think you would want to" he was surprised, he didn't think that Julie would want to meet his family, especially since no one was sure what was going on with them at the moment.   
  
"Well…"  
  
Dean was amazed. She wanted to meet the crazy Portman clan. "But if you do?"  
  
"No, I mean, if you don't want me to" Julie replied softly. She wanted to meet them so that she could officially meet Joanna and talk to her a little more, she was such an interesting person.   
  
"I never said that I didn't want you to, I only said that I didn't know if you wanted to" Dean replied, and then smiled. "Do you want to?"  
  
"I want to" Julie replied. "I mean, if you want me to I want to"  
  
"Good" Dean said, wondering what on earth they had just agreed to.   
  
"Good" Julie echoed.   
  
"So…" Dean began, smiling. "Did that make any sense to you?"  
  
Julie laughed. "Yeah, it did, that is so odd"  
  
"Do you know what else is odd?" Dean asked, finishing off his Breakfast. "The fact that your roommate was in bed with my roommate this morning?"  
  
Julie was shocked. Innocent little Rebecca and Innocent big Fulton were in bed, together. "In bed as in…in bed?"  
  
Dean smirked. "Jules, we have to sit them down and give them the speech"  
  
"I am sure they know already" Julie laughed.   
  
"I wouldn't be to sure about that" Dean mumbled "This is Fulton we are talking about"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Luis held out his hands and watched as his little sister Eva walked slowly towards him. She took two or three slow steps, and then fell to the ground, but each time, she got back up and tried again. When she was close enough, she reached out and took his hand, wrapping his tiny little fingers around his and running into his arms. Luis smiled, shifted the little girl in his arms, and then put the girl back on her feet so she could walk again.   
  
Luis looked at his mom, who was sitting at the nearby bench and watching her two children. Her life had been hard, she would admit that, but her two beautiful children were what made it all manageable. Bonita Mendoza had never married, her father had told her that she never would have the opportunity. When she was 16, Bonita had rebelled against her father who had brought her to America when she had wanted nothing more then to stay in Cuba. Her rebellion led to Luis, but Luis' father wanted nothing to do with him.   
  
So Bonita raised her son on her own, and Luis had been a perfect angel for her over the years. Luis had been the man of the house since his grandfather died, and Bonita had to plead with him to go to the goodwill games years before, and also to move to Eden Hall. It had taken her a while to convince him to leave.   
  
Luis would not have traded his life for anything. His mom loved him, and he had a wonderful father figure. Domingo, who had always just been Dom to them, was his mothers best friend. Early in life, Luis had suspected Dom to be his father, but then, when he was 10 and Luis had asked him about it, Dom said that no, he wasn't Luis's father, but he would like to be one day. Dom loved his mom. It was Luis's pushing that had brought Dom and Bonita together, and although they were not married, they had been dating for close to 4 years now. Eva was his mother and Dom's daughter.   
  
And Luis wasn't dumb. He saw the smile and the ring on his mothers finger. It seemed that Dom had asked his mother to marry him. Luis was happy for them. Extremely happy.  
  
Luis looked up at Eva, who was giggling and making her way down the pathway. They were on campus at Eden Hall, just visiting. "Mom, how long has Eva been walking?"  
  
Bonita looked from her daughter to Luis, who was still kneeling where he had been playing with Eva. "A few months now"  
  
"She is a little natural!" Luis smiled, watching as she ran with her chubby little baby legs. He really missed Eva, last time he had seen her, she had been still only so tiny. He missed his mom to, and Dom.   
  
Bonita looked at her son. "You really miss her, don't you"  
  
"I do mom. She is my sister" Luis smiled.   
  
"She misses you to" Bonita replied.   
  
While they spoke, Eva was still walking, getting further and further away. Bonita called after her. "Eva" the little girl continued walking, her playful little giggle floating of the air. "Eva, come here baby"  
  
Luis stood. "I will go after her mom"  
  
When he had caught up with her, he realised that Eva had sat down beside someone, making herself comfortable. As he approached the girl that his sister had sat down beside, he realised that she as familiar. It was the girl that he had met in the hall that time.   
  
"Hi" The girl looked up at him, and then back to Eva. "She yours?"  
  
"Not mine" Luis replied, kneeling beside Eva and running a hand softly over her hair. "But, my sister"  
  
"She is just such a little cutie" The girl replied, smiling at Eva, who giggled in that adorable baby way. The other girl turned to Luis. "What's her name?"  
  
"Eva Rose Mendoza" He told her, sitting. He held out his hand. "And I am Luis Mendoza, so now, you are the only one without a name"  
  
"I am?" The girl smiled shyly. "Funny that"  
  
Luis grinned. "If I asked, would you tell me?"  
  
"Maybe" she replied, still looking at Eva, who was occupying herself by picking up the book that the girl had been reading and giggling at the pages.  
  
"What is your name?" Luis asked her.   
  
"Audrey" She replied softly. "Audrey Madden"  
  
"Pleasure to meet you" Luis held out his hand. He smiled at her, the smile that he usually reserved for the important girls. Well, this girl was important. "I was hoping I would get a chance to talk to you. I wanted to thank you for what you said, about not believing the flyers"  
  
Audrey blushed. "So you do remember me?"  
  
"Yeah, I remember you" Luis replied nervously. He had no idea why this was so hard for him. He had spoken to millions of girls over the years, used millions of lines on them, but this time, with Audrey, he felt the need to be himself. And really, Luis Mendoza, when he was not chasing girls, was not as exciting as people thought he was. "What you said really meant a lot to me."  
  
"Nicole and Matilda are bitches" Audrey shrugged casually. "I never believe anything that they have to say"  
  
"Well, thank you anyway" Luis replied. He watched for a minute as Audrey made faces at Eva, who smiled. Luis realised that he really liked this girl, and now he had no idea how to approach the situation. "So…  
  
"So…"  
  
Luis had an idea. "Do you like Shakespeare?"  
  
"Sure"  
  
"Well, I make my Shakespearian debut tonight in the school auditorium. You should come along" Luis told her. Audrey smiled at him, still running her fingers through Eva's hand. "If anything, it will be a good laugh, a few hockey players struggling through Romeo and Juliet"  
  
"I was going to come along anyway" Audrey admitted, and then smiled shyly at Luis again. "But now I have more then one reason to go I guess"  
  
"Well, I think I should get Eva back to my mom." Luis said softly, looking away from her beautiful shy smile that made his heart flutter. That had never happened before, maybe he was losing his touch with the ladies. "I may see you tonight?"  
  
"You may" she replied.   
  
Luis stood and took Eva's hand. Eva looked as though she was about to cry because she had to leave her new friend, but Audrey kissed her forehead. Eva stood and Luis lead her back to their mom. He called back over his shoulder. "Bye Audrey Madden"  
  
"Bye Luis Mendoza." Audrey replied.   
  
Luis smiled. He would have to remember to thank Eva for that one day.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Meredith's jaw dropped in amazement as the ducks stood on stage before her. She marched up the front of the line, taking in what they were wearing. Because no one had turned up at the dress rehearsal the day before, this was the first time that she was able to check what they had chosen to wear. She was in some cases pleasantly surprised. In other cases, she was frightened.   
  
She paused in front of Charlie. "What on earth is that?"  
  
Charlie looked down at what he was wearing. He didn't think that there was anything wrong it with. "It's a shirt"  
  
Meredith threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "That is not a shirt Charles David Conway, it is flannel!"  
  
Charlie shrugged. "Hey, you said I couldn't wear my ducks Jersey, you said nothing about not wearing flannel!"   
  
"Charlie, man, you look like a lumberjack" Ken admitted from further down the line.   
  
Adam smirked. "He's a lumberjack and he's ok!"  
  
"Silence." Meredith yelled, and the ducks jumped, scared. Meredith had never raised her voice to them before. It was strange. "Just, shut up for a few seconds. Please"   
  
Russ told his teacher. "Its not to late to quit"  
  
"Is not to late to fail you!" Meredith replied. She was honestly beginning to feel the nerves of this production. It was opening day, they were still behind, and even now, the Ducks could not find the maturity to be serious about this. "Damnit, why couldn't you have just all turned up at yesterdays dress rehearsal!"  
  
"Meredith, there is this little thing that I have grown accustomed to doing, it is called sleeping" Goldberg began. "With all the shit that we have had to do lately, none of us have slept much…Orion screamed at us for falling asleep on the ice."  
  
"So you slept!" Meredith yelled. The whole team had blown off practice to go and take a nap. That was not good enough in her book. "Only four people turned up yesterday, you were all asleep?"  
  
Averman looked around. "Yeah, majority of us!"  
  
"You go on stage tonight!" Meredith exclaimed. "Tonight in front of all these people, who are expecting to be entertained. They expect to see this done, and done well, and you…you are sleeping through practice!"  
  
"What about the people who go to our hockey games!" Charlie yelled. It was time for his instincts to take over, Hockey was more important then everything else. "They go there, expecting to see us play, we owe it to them to play well!"  
  
"You owe it to them!" Meredith yelled. The team really was scared. Meredith had never, ever lost it like this. Maybe she was in the middle of a nervous breakdown or something. "What about owing it to me. You didn't even tell me where you were! That is the height of rudeness!"  
  
"Captain Blood" Guy muttered to Averman who was at his side.  
  
"No, more like Mistress Blood" Averman replied.   
  
"What?" Meredith asked, moving to stand before the two boys.   
  
Averman had never feared Meredith in the past, so there was no point in starting now. "Mistress Blood!"  
  
"Oh" Meredith mumbled, and then launched herself at Averman. The Bash Brothers, thankfully, anticipated her move, and stepped forward to hold her back. It took both of them, Fulton grabbing her in a bear hug from behind and Dean in front, capturing her hands in his, but they managed to subdue her.   
  
"Meredith, no!" Fulton began. "No matter how much you hate us at the moment, bashing up Averman is not the answer"   
  
Dean chuckled. "It may be therapeutic, but it is not the answer."  
  
"And what is the answer!" She yelled. "You go on stage in six hours, you don't have finalised costumes, you don't have complete blocking, you know nothing about stage etiquette. Fuck it!" Meredith struggled her way out of the Bash Brothers grip. She shook her head at the collection of hockey players (that she had hoped to turn into actors. Wishful thinking really) Meredith turned, and surprisingly, left the auditorium, repeating "Fuck it all!" over and over again.   
  
The Ducks stood in shock. Ken asked. "Do you think she is coming back?"  
  
"I don't know" Julie whispered, amazed. "But when Meredith storms out, she storms out in style"  
  
Connie was still standing, staring at the door that Meredith had exited through. "What does this mean?"  
  
"That we don't have a director" Adam replied.   
  
"We don't have a director" Connie repeated.   
  
"I just said that" Adam mumbled.   
  
Guy looked around the group. "What are we going to do"  
  
"Try and get her back?" Dwayne suggested.   
  
"How, she looks so…" Ken began, then paused, looking for the right word. "Gone"  
  
Charlie thought for a second. "Maybe we don't need her"  
  
"She is the director!" Connie yelled. Charlie was insane, of course they need Meredith.   
  
"And by now, we should be thoroughly directed" Charlie replied.   
  
Dean smirked. "You would think so, right"  
  
"So what do you suggest?" Julie asked, turning to the captain, who obviously had an idea.   
  
"That we direct ourselves" Charlie told them. There were a few people who immediately thought that they couldn't do it. "Meredith got us this far, and now, we just have to get ourselves through tonight"  
  
"Charlie, you are insane" most of them yelled.   
  
"All I am saying is that we have been in this situation before" Charlie replied, holding up her hands to get the others to clam down a little and listen to what he had to say about it. When he was done, they could argue all they wanted to. "Like in D-5 when Bombay called us losers. Or At the games when Bombay did a runner that time and we had to use 'Coach' McKay."  
  
Russ smiled. "Oh yeah, like that time at Eden Hall when Charlie got his panties all up in a bunch and left us!"  
  
"Yeah, exactly like that" Charlie snapped sarcastically at him. "My point is, we never quit then."  
  
"I seem to remember quitting" Guy sighed. "Especially at that game as D-5"  
  
"And you did technically quit that time that you hated Orion." Fulton reminded the captain. "Because I quit with you, remember, we didn't go to school. We rode the roller coaster until we were sick"  
  
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Ok, so maybe the examples were a little off"  
  
Dean smirked. "Just a little"  
  
"But what I am saying is that we usually stick together as a team" Charlie replied.   
  
"Yeah, quit as a team!" Averman announced, and every one cheered.   
  
"Oh for gods sake" Charlie rolled his eyes. Maybe Meredith had the right idea with storming out. "Do Ducks fly together or not?"  
  
"Yeah, ok, ducks fly together" Julie smiled, and then paused. "except for the few times that they didn't"  
  
"So lets do this!" Charlie replied, clapping his hands together. "What do you say?"  
  
They each looked at each other, and the general decision was. "Sure, why not, what have we got to lose"  
  
"So, what are we waiting for!" Charlie smiled. "You are your own director up there"  
  
"My first directorial decision" Dwayne announced to the group as he crossed to his bag on the other side of the room. He picked up his trademark cowboy hat and smiled. "Is I get to wear the hat." 


	27. Opening Night

Romeo and Julie - Chapter 27  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine.   
  
Notes - I wrote this chapter in about an hour, so I am sorry if it is lame, but I don't have a lot of time.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Adam stood in front of the mirrors that had been set up out the back in the change room area. He picked up a few items, looked at them, and then placed them down again, confused. He had no idea what any of this shit was. If he lived to be a hundred years old, he would never, ever, understand women and makeup.   
  
His mother spent more on makeup then what he had spent on Hockey gear over the years. She would never leave the house unless she was made up to the nines, and Adam decided early that that was not something that he necessarily found attractive. Girls didn't have to wear make up to be sexy to him, they just needed to be strong and sporty.   
  
But thinking of that was not solving his problem, looking over his shoulder, he called over to Julie and Connie. "Do either of you know how to do make up?"  
  
"Think about that question" Julie asked, crossing to the makeup table, staring at all the stuff. She didn't even know what most of it was. "I am Julie. I have never even done my own make-up, what makes you think I could do yours!"  
  
"Make up" Charlie came up behind them and picked up an eye shadow, silently reading the label "Why do we need makeup anyway?"  
  
Julie shrugged. "Didn't Meredith say something about without make up we would look pale on stage"  
  
"None of us know how to do make up!" Adam sighed, collapsing into a nearby chair. "We are so screwed. How much time do we have left?"  
  
"4 hours. We can work something out." Ken entered, checking his watch quickly. Ken then turned to the other girl. "Connie, do you know how to do make up?"  
  
"I can do my own makeup." She admitted. "Doing make up on you lot, is a completely different matter"  
  
Dean strode into the room and exclaimed. "God, must I always be the one to save the day?"  
  
Julie's jaw dropped, how could the teams enforcer be able to solve their makeup problem. "Portman, you know less about make up then I do, how could you possibly 'Save the day' "  
  
"Because one of us has to have the ideas around here, or nothing would get done" He grinned, and then turned to Adam. He held out his hand and said. "Cake Eater, can I borrow your cell phone?"  
  
Adam reached into his pocket and fished out his little cell phone, handing it to the other boy. Dean looked at it for a few seconds before flipping it open and punching some numbers. Julie was the first to scoff. "I refuse to see how this is helping us…"  
  
"Shh" he mumbled to her, blocking her with his hand. Then, into the phone, he said. "Mom, hey, its Jake" he ignored the confused look of a few members of the team, who obviously had no idea who Jake was. "Are you busy for the next few hours?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Averman lifted his side of the large back drop and moved it into the position. On the other side of it, lifting, was Dean. Or Jake. Or Dean. Or what ever the hell his name was. "So… Jake"  
  
Dean looked up. "What?"  
  
"Jake?" Averman replied.   
  
Dean knew that the others on the team would want to know what that was about. He was not ready to share the story, so he just shrugged and said. "So, its my name"  
  
Averman scratched his head in confusion. "I thought you name was Dean"  
  
"Jake is short for Dean" Dean shrugged absently.   
  
"How?"  
  
"Does it matter. I have a nickname, who cares" Dean growled, and then turned to the door of the auditorium, which had just entered. His mom, who would forever now be called an angel had just entered, and with her was…Deanie. Shit. She will want to meet and greet now. "Oh, mom's here…and she brought Dean"  
  
"Dean?" Averman looked from the boy that he had always known as Dean, to the girl that Dean had just called Dean. If she was Dean and he was Jake, then why was he Dean and what we her name. Crap this was getting confusing. "Is any one else confused"  
  
"Mom" Dean jumped off of the stage and hugged his mother, and then turned to Joanna. "Sister…what are you doing here"  
  
Joanna smiled triumphantly. "I have come to meet the Ducks"  
  
"Fine, you are here, come and meet them." He sighed. He knew that this would happen. He sat her down in a chair and then turned to his Mom again. "Mom, thank you so much for this. We had a director crisis, and she was going to do our stage make up…"  
  
"Jake, it is no problem, can I head back stage and set up?" she asked. Dean smiled.   
  
"Sure" He pointed her in the direction of backstage, and then grabbed Joanna by the arm, pulling her to her feet. "Now you"  
  
"Ouch, Dean, you are hurting me" she mumbled.   
  
"Charlie, Guy, Connie, Dwayne" Portman told her, pointing to each person as he said their name. "Ken, Averman, Luis, Banksie" He turned her to another group. "Russ, Goldberg, and you already know Fulton. There, you have met everyone"  
  
"That is not meeting them. That is you pointing." Joanna replied, hands on her hips. "You have done that with photographs before, and even then I felt I connected with them better." Then she realised something, Dean had left out a name. "And besides, Where is Julie?"  
  
Dean sighed, and Joanna wondered if Julie had told him about their little conversation. "Backstage probably"   
  
"You are such a pansy" Joanna sighed, looking at the Ducks, who were scattered and preparing. "Introduce me or I introduce myself."  
  
"Fine" Dean growled, why did she have to be like this. "Guys! I want you to meet my little sister, Joanna. Joanna, these are the guys on my team"  
  
"It is nice to meet you all, finally" Joanna called back, and then said to Dean, loudly for others to hear. "See the way I said 'finally' Dean"  
  
"I saw" He sighed, and then turned her around and sat her in another chair. "Now can I trust you to sit here, and just watch."  
  
Joanna saluted her brother as he walked off to find something to do. He could be suck a jerk. A lovable Jerk, but a jerk all the same. Joanna jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning to the person who had gotten her attention, her jaw dropped.   
  
"Hi, sorry, I just wanted to introduce myself" the boy said, holding out his hand.   
  
Joanna stared at the nice boy, who would have to be the most gorgeous creature she had ever met. "Wow"  
  
"Wow?" Adam asked, shocked.   
  
"Shit, that was rude, I am sorry" She replied, placing her hand in his, that he was still offering her to shake. "Joanna Portman"  
  
"Adam Banks"  
  
"Hi" Joanna smiled, still holding his hand. Adam made no move to pull away either. "I think I remember hearing stories about you ."  
  
Adam sat and chuckled, slipping his hand away from hers, but still staying close. "If they are from Portman, I assure you they are not true"  
  
"Well, I seem to remember that the word 'prep' was used in association with you" Joanna grinned teasingly. Adam smiled. "And something about eating cake"  
  
"Oh…then it is true" he laughed, running a hand though his hair.   
  
Some one, Joanna was not sure who, yelled from the stage. "Banksie, get back to work"  
  
"That's me, I have to go" He stood and shook her hand quickly again. "Nice to meet you"  
  
Joanna watched as he left, and then collapsed back into her chair. "They don't breed them like that in Chicago"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Next" Lillian smiled as she let the person that she had just finished working on go, and waited for the next person. She turned and was pleasantly surprised at who it was that was there. "Fulton, kiss kiss"  
  
"Hi Momma Portman" he smiled.   
  
"Seriously Fulton" Lillian rolled her eyes and took his bandanna off of his head. Then, she had to tie his hair back so that it would not interfere with her makeup. "My name is Lillian. You either call me mom, or you call me Lillian, none of this Momma Portman crap."   
  
"Ok" He smiled. As much as he loved Dean's mother, he was uncomfortable with calling her mom, so he settled with "Lillian"  
  
"That's better" Lillian smiled at the boy. She picked up her make up and sighed. "Now, I am just going to keep you nice and simple…you are pale, but you are lucky, pale is making a comeback."  
  
Fulton smiled and closed his eyes, letting her work on his face. "I have to say, this is odd, wearing make up"  
  
Lillian smiled. "But I bet that you never even thought that you would get a part in a play like this, did you"  
  
"Hell, ten years ago, I never would have even thought that I would play hockey" Fulton replied. It was amazing to think that that was true. "And now look at me"  
  
"Yeah, my little boys are growing up" Lillian laughed, wiping away a fake tear "Both off with girlfriends"  
  
"Dean doesn't have a girl friend" Fulton replied. And then sighed. "And I have an 'almost-girlfriend', but I guess that is a girlfriend all the same"  
  
"Fulton, you don't have to lie for Dean. I know how my son gets when he is in love" Lillian replied. "Who is the lucky girl?"  
  
"Julie…" Fulton surprised. It was amazing how Lillian could make him want to just spill his guts, about anything, whether it be something about himself, or about others. Fulton really was a horrible liar, he realised. "They are in the middle of a big, 'Days of our lives' style relationship, but they will work it out soon"  
  
"Close your eyes, don't squint" Lillian told him, and began applying something to his face. "What about you? what is an 'Almost-girlfriend'?"  
  
"Rebecca had only just broken up some other boy." Fulton replied softly. "So we are waiting, but…exclusive"  
  
"You are one in a million Fult. If I was 20 year younger…" Lillian was amazed. Fulton was so much more mature then any others his age. He surely was a sensitive new age guy. "No, I am not going to finish that thought. I already fear that Dean and Joanna will be in therapy one day." Lillian paused and looked at him. "But this girl, this Rebecca, she is lucky to have you. I hope that she is worthy…"  
  
"She is more then worthy" Fulton sighed. "I am the one who is unworthy…"  
  
"Love"  
  
"What?" Fulton asked, opening his eyes to look at her.   
  
"You are in love" Lillian playfully tapped him on the nose with the powder brush. "And probably scared"  
  
Fulton smiled. Was he really that easy to read? "Only of the future"  
  
"I know the feeling" Lillian admitted.   
  
"Lillian, you love Dean's father right?"  
  
"Of course I do" Lillian replied, applying more make up to his face. "I adore him"  
  
Fulton nervously asked. "Would you have left your home town, and your family, just to be with him?"  
  
"Fulton, listen to my voice." Lillian smiled, resting her hands on his shoulders to get him to open his eyes. Fulton opened them, and really listened to her. "I don't talk like a Chicago native do I?"  
  
"No" he admitted. He had never realised it, but Lillian Portman spoke differently from her husband and children.   
  
"Because I did move to be with him" She replied. "I left California, bright, sunny Cali to move to cold Chicago to be with him."  
  
"Do you regret it?" Fulton asked. He had happy that he had some one to talk to about this, because all he had been able to think about lately was if he would regret not going to New York with Beck. He had so many reasons to stay, but really, none of them felt that important when he thought about missing her. Missing being with her.   
  
"Never once." Lillian told him firmly.   
  
"Did your family and friends support your decision?" Fulton asked.   
  
"They knew how much Jack meant to me" She shrugged. She knew how important this conversation was to Fulton, but she didn't want to get to serious with it all, because usually that made them shut down. "How much I loved him, and they knew that I was doing the right thing"  
  
"How did you know that you were doing the right thing?"  
  
"Because I could look at him and see everything I wanted." Lillian admitted. "I looked at him, and I saw Dean and Joanna, and years of happy marriage. My future was with Jack Portman. And I would have followed him to the moon and back for what he could give to me." She smiled at the young man before her. "Are you thinking of following Rebecca to the ends of the earth?"  
  
Fulton smirked. "Only to New York"  
  
"If you really love her Fult, or you could see yourself loving her, then it should be no big deal to go with her." Lillian whispered, finished his make up quickly. "If you are worried about leaving your father, don't be, he will understand. And as long as you send a post card to us every now and then, the Portman's wont forget you."  
  
"Thank you"  
  
"Fulton, I mean it. You are like a son to me." Lillian told him softly, and Fulton looked away so that he could hide what he was thinking. He wanted to hide what her nice words were making her feel. "And we all love you. We want you to be happy, and if Rebecca and New York make you happy…"  
  
Fulton stood, quickly and carefully kissed her on the cheek, and left before either of them could get to emotional.   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Adam pulled back the curtains and looked out over the filling auditorium. "Oh my god, there are people out there"  
  
Behind him, Russ laughed and hit him in the back. "Funny that, considering that they have come to watch us"  
  
"But they are like, real people" Adam swallowed nervously.   
  
"Shut up Banks" Russ rolled his eyes.   
  
"The audience is filling guys" Charlie announced, calling the rest of the team over to where he was standing. They all gathered around for a last minute pep talk. "We are really going to do this?"  
  
Fulton smiled at them. "To late to quit now"  
  
"That is a lot of people" Adam groaned, and Portman took him by the back of the shirt, pulling him away from the curtain.   
  
"Shut up Banks" Russ sighed. "You plan to make a career out of professional hockey, you better get used to crowds"  
  
Connie smiled nervously, she looked like she was going to be sick. "Can you believe it. I never thought that we would ever get this far"  
  
"Sorry to interrupt this tender moment, but, I should go grab my seat" Lillian Portman smiled at the gang, and the Ducks all smiled their thanks at her. "Break a leg, I will be back at intermission for touch ups."  
  
"Thanks Mrs Portman" Charlie grinned. "You are life saver"  
  
"No problem kids" Lillian smiled, kissed Dean on the cheek, and then left the backstage area. "Have fun out there"  
  
As Lillian left, she passed a surprised Meredith, who was in shocked at the group. They looked like they were about to go on stage. "What is going on? What are you all doing here?"  
  
"We have a play to preform" Charlie replied. Meredith's jaw dropped.   
  
"Didn't you think that my storming out sort of meant that , I don't know, the play was cancelled" She exclaimed.   
  
"We have gotten this far, not going to quit now" Julie replied.   
  
Goldberg smirked. "According to Charlie, we don't need you"  
  
"You don't need me?" Meredith repeated, looking from the captain to the others. The Ducks should be called sheep, because they would follow Charlie anywhere. "Is that right is it, Mr. Conway?"  
  
"Yes" he replied confidently.   
  
Meredith shrugged. "Well, I came here to tell the audience that you would not be preforming tonight, but I guess this means that I should go find a seat"  
  
Connie looked shocked "What? You mean you are not going to be out here, directing?"  
  
"Why?" Meredith asked, walking to the door, and the turning back and staring at Charlie. "You don't need me" She laughed at their shocked expression. "Break a leg Ducks"  
  
A few people jumped as a guy dressed in black entered. Backstage crew, but he crept up on the all the same. "Guys, everything it set, the audio visual equipment is up, and I am just waiting for your signal on the lighting"  
  
"Thanks Matt" Julie smiled at the boy who had become one of her best friends. "Well, lets do this"  
  
"Good…" Dwayne began, but Beck clamped her hand across his mouth.   
  
"Are you insane, never say that, it is like jinxing yourself." She hissed at him. "Break a leg"  
  
Now Guy looked shocked. "But telling hockey players to break a leg is dangerous…"  
  
"Well, if you would rather a light falling on your head, then say the other one" Beck shrugged and lightly kissed Fulton on the head. "Break a leg. See you at the cast party"  
  
"Bye Beck" They all replied as Beck picked up her violin and disappeared into the orchestra pit where the quartet was preparing.   
  
"I think I am going to be sick…" Adam mumbled, holding his stomach. He did look rather green around the gills. "I don't…I don't know my lines…guys what's my first line"  
  
Russ, once again, rolled his eyes. "Some one shut Banksie up"   
  
Dean watched shocked as his little sister appeared as if out of no where and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, moving to kiss him. Dean grabbed her sisters arm and pulled her away from him. "Joanna, not like that. Go sit with mom"  
  
Joanna shrugged, smiled at Adam, and left the backstage area, knowing that her brother was shaking his head at her. "Fine. Break a leg guys"  
  
Adam stared after Joanna dreamily. "I like her…"  
  
"Don't even think about it Preppy" Dean growled, and then looked back to the rest of the group. "So, places?"  
  
"Places" Julie agreed, and while the others all split up, she turned to Dean. "Break a leg Dean"  
  
"You to"   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The play was going well, almost perfectly. Meredith had gotten one wish, it was turning out to be a very professional production. Every one knew their lines and cues, and no one had screwed up a line yet. But of course, yet.   
  
Julie was thinking a few steps ahead as she always did. Her lines were coming to her easily. She could hardly believe it, she was comfortable on stage. She was no longer Julie, she was Juliet. And Dean was Romeo, this was to easy.   
  
" 'O' Wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?' " Dean smiled, and Julie grinned.   
  
" 'What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?' " Julie, or Juliet, replied.   
  
" 'The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine?' " oh fuck.   
  
Oh Fuck, Oh Fuck. What was my next line. Shit, Shit, Shit "Shit"  
  
Dean heard her soft exclamation and took to steps to her. He cradled her in his arms, making it look as though it was part of the play, and whispered. "What's wrong"  
  
Julie bit her lip and said. "Dean, what's my line?"  
  
"Make it up" Dean sighed, and Julie thought for a few seconds, she had no idea what to say.   
  
"I love you!" It was the first thing that came to her head. So she said it, and said it proudly. Then she looked at Dean and said it again, softly. "I love you"  
  
"Wouldst thou withdrawal it? For what purpose, love?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Fulton handed his best friend a tall glass of champagne. Dean took it absently and downed it in one gulp, chocking. He looked at his empty glass, eyes wide. "Is that champagne?"  
  
"It is, your mom snuck it in." Fulton smiled, sipping his own. "Unless a teacher asks. And then it is non alcoholic cider"  
  
Usually he would have laughed at his friends joke, but at the moment, his mind was somewhere else. His mind was with Jules. "Have you seen Jules?"  
  
Fulton shrugged and replied. "Have you seen Beck?"  
  
From behind them, Luis and Adam, holding their own glasses of champagne, joined the group. Luis asked. "Have you seen Audrey?"  
  
Adam smiled and looked around the group. "Have you seen Joanna?"  
  
Fulton turned to Luis, confused "Who is Audrey?"  
  
But Dean was not glaring at Adam. "Why do you want to see Joanna?"  
  
"My friend" Luis replied.   
  
Adam cowered in fear. "No reason"  
  
Fulton jumped at a hand on his shoulder, and then smiled when Rebecca joined their little group. He smiled and hugged her. "Hey, here is Beck" he told the others, and then smiled at her. "I was looking for you"  
  
"You found me" Beck grinned, and then looked towards Dean, who was still trying to look over the crowds for Julie. Beck reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Are you looking for Jules?"  
  
"Yeah" he admitted.   
  
"Outside" Beck smiled, pointing to the side door. Beck had seen her leave after the play finished. Julie had said that she needed some time alone, but Beck knew what this was all about. "Dean, you know that that cover up in scene two"  
  
"Yeah" Dean cut her off and smiled. He handed her his empty champagne glass, and smiled sarcastically. "Thanks Beck, have some champagne…sip it, don't skull it"  
  
Fulton shook his head and took the glass from her, placing it on a table behind them, and then pulling her to a quiet corner to talk. "The music was great Beck"  
  
Beck blushed a little. "Yeah, but Mercutio stole the show"  
  
"Just a little" Fulton grinned, and then took her by the hand. "Can we talk?"  
  
Beck bit her lip. "Ah, Fulton, I don't like the sound of that"  
  
"Don't worry, it is nothing" Fulton grinned, pulling her into a hug. "Well, nothing bad at least"  
  
She sighed relieved. "Then hit me with it"  
  
"I don't think I am smart" Fulton began, and covered Beck's mouth when she went to protest. He had made up this little speech in his head, and now, all he had to do was get it out there. "Shh, don't interrupt, I need to say this…I don't think I am smart, but doing this play and meeting you, made me realise that anything in the world is possible. Anything"  
  
"Fulton?" Beck began. What on Earth was going on?  
  
"If I get accepted into a school." Fulton told her. "I will come to New York with you"  
  
"You will?" Beck exclaimed. Hugging him tightly.   
  
"If you still want me to" he smiled nervously.   
  
"Of course I do!" She practically screamed. "Fulton, this is fantastic"  
  
"But I am going to have to work hard to get my grades up." Fulton replied softly. He knew to get into one of those big New York schools he would have to do substantially more work then what he was doing now. At the moment he was just scraping through. "Dumb asses don't get accepted into collage"  
  
"You are not dumb at all" She smiled, still holding his as tight as she was before. Beck was yet to let go of him, and she was unsure if she would ever want to. "You are wonderful, and I am quickly falling in love with you"  
  
"Falling in love?" Fulton mumbled. No girl had ever said that to him.   
  
She was standing on her toes, holding his so tight, almost chocking him, it was amazing. Then something caught her attention, her watch. "Fulton…its tomorrow"  
  
"What?" he asked, pulling her away.   
  
Beck grinned, showing him her watch. "Look at the time, 12:01. It is officially tomorrow"  
  
"Tomorrow." He repeated, and then smiled. When he had woken her up that morning (or the morning before, technically) she had said that their day could be tomorrow. Fulton grinned. "And tomorrow is One Day"  
  
"Lets call it Day one" She replied, kissing him softly. "To be followed by many other days"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
"Juliet… We are all in there celebrating our success. Meredith is chocking on humble pie" Dean smiled, opening the door and walking out into the small courtyard area. Julie stood to the side, quietly. Dean had picked up two glasses of champagne on the way out. "You should come in there and see it"  
  
"I will in a minute"   
  
"My Mom snuck us a few bottles of bubbly. Can I interest you in some Champagne" he asked, placing it in her hand.   
  
"A toast" Dean smiled at her, grinning. "To the play"  
  
And that was when he realised that something was wrong. Julie was practically in tears. "Are you crying? Julie, what is it"  
  
"Tonight was perfect wasn't it…the play, I mean" Julie sighed, picking up the glass, and then pausing. "It was perfect, and I screwed it up by forgetting my lines. I forgot my lines"  
  
"Hey, don't worry" Dean smiled softly. She was making a big deal about forgetting a few lines? Others had forgotten their lines, but none of them had managed to cover it up as well as she had. "You covered it so well"  
  
"I said the first thing that came to mind…" Julie admitted. "And I think I even screwed that up"  
  
"What?" now Dean really was confused.   
  
Julie sighed. "Do you hate me for not telling you"  
  
"Telling me what?" Dean hated not knowing what was happening. And now Julie was talking, rambling with no apparent reading.   
  
"I love you" She muttered. Dean was shocked but let her go on. "It was the first thing that came into my head, and all I wanted to say at the time. In that split second, all I could think of was you, and the way you look at me, and the way you put up with my shit. I looked at you, forgot my lines and then…" she stopped and looked at Dean. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't really think that there was anything else to say, except. "I love you"  
  
Dean was surprised. That admission of love in the middle of the play was real. He downed his glass of champagne, and then just stared at her. "Dean, say something"  
  
He said the first thing that came to mind. "I thought you were just in the moment"  
  
"I was, but I spoke my heart." Julie smiled softly, at least it was out there now. She had done it. She felt that she had stuffed it up, but she had done it. "I thought you were dying to hear me admit it"  
  
"I was…" Dean mumbled, this was all just to amazing. "I am"  
  
Julie sighed. "Could you forgive me?"  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Everything" Julie shrugged.   
  
"Jules, there is nothing at all to forgive" Dean replied, holding her close to him. That felt good to do. "Nothing."  
  
Julie sighed. "I say that there is heaps to forgive"  
  
And then Dean smiled. This could be the beginning of the rest of his life. With Julie. "You can make it all better"  
  
"How?"  
  
"Tell me again?" he whispered.   
  
"I love you" Julie laughed at him. How could he get so much excitement from that. "And that is the one thing that I am sure of lately. It is scary"  
  
"Scary?" Dean asked. "I am scary?"  
  
"Yes" Julie said quickly. "No…This, is scary"  
  
Dean looked down at her. "It doesn't have to be"  
  
"So…" Julie sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What now?"  
  
"Well, I guess we could date?"  
  
"You guess?" Julie exclaimed, she could not believe this. "You went through all of this to get me to tell you I love you, and now you guess that we could date." Dean laughed at her, Julie slapped him. "Portman, ask me out already"  
  
"Ordering me around already" Dean sighed. Julie slapped him again. "Wanna go out with me Julie?"  
  
Jules grinned. "Thought you would never ask"  
  
"Lets stay outside a little longer" Dean grinned, wrapping his arms around her. He was sure that he was the happiest man in the world at that very instant.   
  
"I love you"  
  
"I love you to"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ok, I know I said there would be shout outs, but serious, I am moving today, in like, two seconds, so I have to pack up the computer. So…  
  
Give me about a week to settle in, and then the sequel will be up. Thank you for your support on this story, and I am sorry if this chapter is a little rushed. 


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